How the US Became the Unexpected Puppet Master in Venezuela: A Simple Guide

By Ángel Bermúdez (BBC News Mundo) | Published August 10, 2026 | 11 min read

The Big Picture: A "Suspended Sovereignty"

Important Callout: Imagine Venezuela is a house where the owners (the government) and the tenants (the opposition) have been fighting for years. Suddenly, a very powerful neighbor (the US) walks in, changes the locks, fixes the plumbing, pays the bills, and tells everyone new rules. Surprisingly, both the owners and the tenants are mostly okay with it because the house was falling apart.

That is essentially what is happening in Venezuela right now. The United States, under President Donald Trump, is driving massive changes in the country—controlling the oil money, rewriting laws, fixing the power grid, and setting up political talks. The wild part? Both the Venezuelan government (Chavismo) and the Opposition are going along with it.

How Did We Get Here? The Timeline

1. January 3, 2026: Nicolás Maduro is captured by US forces (a shocking event the article treats as fact).
2. Immediately after: President Trump installs Delcy Rodríguez (Maduro’s former Vice President) as Interim President.
   • Trump’s quote: "She is essentially willing to do what we believe is necessary to make Venezuela great again. She has no other choice."
3. Months following: The US takes control of oil sales (Venezuela’s main income), invites US oil companies back, rewrites oil/mining laws for private investment, and starts fixing the electric grid.
4. August 6, 2026: First face-to-face political dialogue begins between Rodríguez’s government and opposition leaders (led by Dinorah Figuera).
5. Foreign Policy Shift: Venezuela quietly distances itself from old allies Iran and Cuba.

The Master Plan: Marco Rubio’s 3-Step Recipe

Secretary of State Marco Rubio designed a three-phase plan for Venezuela:

Why Is Everyone Playing Along? (The "Carrot and Stick")

Experts like Benigno Alarcón explain the US has two giant levers to control the situation:

1. The Military Lever (The "Stick")

• The Message: "We captured Maduro. We can do it again."
• The Result: Delcy Rodríguez and her team are terrified of suffering Maduro’s fate. They cooperate to survive.

2. The Economic Lever (The "Carrot")

• The Control: The US holds the keys to the oil revenue (the only real money Venezuela has).
• The Tools:
  • Deciding who gets paid.
  • Lifting or imposing sanctions (financial blockades).
  • Unfreezing Venezuelan money stuck in foreign banks.
• The Result: The government needs this cash to pay soldiers, public workers, and keep the lights on. The opposition needs the US pressure to force the government to negotiate.

Key Insight: Neither side can win without the US. The government stays in power only if the US allows it. The opposition gets democracy only if the US forces the issue.

The Critics: "We Lost Our Country"

Not everyone is cheering. Critics from all sides (independent, chavista, opposition) warn of three huge problems:

• Loss of Sovereignty: Venezuela no longer controls its own money. The National Assembly passes laws that look "made in Washington."
• Zero Transparency: The US doesn’t tell Venezuelans how much oil money is collected or where it goes.
• Silent Leaders: The top government officials and top opposition leaders (like María Corina Machado) never criticize this. Why? Because they need the US.

Colette Capriles (Political Scientist): "We are in an unprecedented ‘tutelage’ (guardianship). It’s not a bloody invasion, but the only real political agent in Venezuela right now is the US government."

The "Acting" Theory: Buying Time

Benigno Alarcón argues the government isn’t suddenly "pro-USA." It’s a survival tactic:

"The Chavismo is playing for survival. If surviving means bending so you don’t break, that’s what they do. It’s a tactic to buy time."

The Danger: If the US gets distracted (e.g., loses midterm elections, Trump is impeached) or only cares about oil money, the "Political Transition" (Phase 3) gets postponed forever. The government could then flip back to Russia/China.

What Do Regular Venezuelans Think?

Surprisingly, many ordinary citizens care more about eating and having electricity than abstract sovereignty.

• Poll (Late July/Early Aug 2026): 51% have a favorable view of Trump.
  • He polls higher than Interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
  • He polls slightly below opposition leader María Corina Machado.
• The Mindset: "Politics is complex, but I believe Trump will fix the economy so I can have a normal life again."

Capriles concludes: "In the end, it matters very little who carries out the changes. What people are waiting for is simply that changes happen."

Summary: The Cheat Sheet

• The Event: Maduro captured (Jan 2026) → Delcy Rodríguez installed by Trump.
• The Reality: US runs the show (Oil, Laws, Electricity, Sanctions, Dialogue).
• The Levers: Military threat (fear) + Oil money control (need).
• The Govt’s Move: Cooperate to survive (buy time).
• The Opposition’s Move: Cooperate because they couldn’t win alone.
• The Cost: Sovereignty is "suspended." No transparency on money.
• The Public Mood: Willing to trade sovereignty for stability/food/lights.
• The Risk: If US attention fades, democracy transition dies; government reverts to old allies.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

1. Did the US actually invade Venezuela?

Not in the traditional sense. There was a specific operation to capture Maduro (Jan 3), and US military personnel are on the ground coordinating humanitarian aid (after an earthquake) and inspecting infrastructure (Guri Dam). Experts call it an "intervention" because the US controls key decisions, but it’s not a full-scale occupation with tanks in every street.

2. Why would Delcy Rodríguez (a hardcore Chavista) work with Trump?

Survival. The article explains the elite around her saw what happened to Maduro. They fear US military power (the "Stick") and need US-controlled oil money to pay the bills (the "Carrot"). It is described as "bending so they don’t break."

3. Is the Opposition happy about this?

Privately, many are uncomfortable. They have dreamed of sovereignty for years. Publicly, leaders like María Corina Machado praise Trump because they need his pressure to force the government to negotiate. They fear criticizing the US would lose their only leverage.

4. Where is the oil money going?

Nobody knows for sure. A major criticism in the article is the total lack of transparency. The US manages the sales and revenue but does not publish accounts for the Venezuelan people to see.

5. What happens if Trump leaves office or loses power?

This is the "Nightmare Scenario" for the transition. Experts warn that if the US withdraws (due to elections, impeachment, or loss of interest), the Venezuelan government will likely reverse all reforms, kick out US companies, and run back to Russia, China, and Iran. The democratic transition would stall indefinitely.

Original reporting by Ángel Bermúdez, BBC News Mundo. Adapted for clarity and simplicity.