The White House claims to have "the utmost influence" over Venezuela's interim government

The White House stated on Wednesday that it maintains “maximum influence” over the interim government of Venezuela led by Delcy Rodríguez, following the capture of the dictator Nicolás Maduro and his transfer to the United States, as mentioned by presidential spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during a press conference in Washington.

Leavitt stated that the administration of President Donald Trump is maintaining close communication with the interim Venezuelan authorities and that, in his opinion, the decisions made by that government are being influenced by Washington.

"The U.S. government has already begun marketing Venezuelan crude oil in the global market for the benefit of the United States and has engaged international buyers and banks to execute and support these sales," the spokesperson added, without providing precise details on the legal mechanisms or framework underpinning these operations.

Leavitt also defended U.S. intervention in Venezuela, using arguments related to the fight against drug trafficking. According to her, the country "will no longer send or traffic in people or criminal cartels to murder American citizens," referring to the policies implemented by the Trump administration against the former Maduro regime. 

This statement arises in a context where the White House has intensified its political and economic presence in Venezuela after January 2026. The U.S. government has seized sanctioned oil vessels and aims to strengthen its control over Venezuelan oil revenues, which could reach between 30 and 50 million barrels of crude for U.S. benefit.

From Caracas, interim authorities have stated that no foreign agent governs Venezuela and have sought to distance their decisions from international pressures, although so far they have not specified any agreements with the United States regarding oil.

The stance of the White House reflects the strategy of maximum pressure and political and economic control that the United States has been employing in Venezuela since the beginning of this year, linked both to the fight against drug trafficking and to the management of the vast energy resources of the South American country.