This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 10:30 AM

We now get to see what Rubio and Co. have in mind.

A group of senior Venezuelan government officials, led by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and her brother Jorge, who is president of the National Assembly, have quietly promoted a series of initiatives in recent months aimed at presenting themselves to Washington as a “more acceptable” alternative to Nicolás Maduro’s regime, according to people with direct knowledge of the talks.

The proposals, funneled through intermediaries in Qatar, sought to persuade sectors of the U.S. government that a “Madurismo without Maduro” could enable a peaceful transition in Venezuela—preserving political stability without dismantling the ruling apparatus.

According to the sources, Qatari mediators presented to the U.S. two formal proposals this year, one in April and another in September. Both outlined potential governing mechanisms without Maduro in power. In those scenarios, Delcy Rodríguez would serve as the institutional continuity figure, while retired Gen. Miguel Rodríguez Torres, who is currently in exile and is not related to the Rodriguez siblings, would head a transitional government....

...While these proposals marked a radical shift from chavismo’s anti-U.S. doctrine, the White House did not move forward. A hardline faction led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio prevailed, warning that any agreement short of regime change would betray democratic principles...

...The sources said the Trump administration ultimately dismissed the transition proposals from Caracas after internal reports concluded they were an attempt to preserve the regime’s criminal structures under a new guise.

“The ‘Cartel Lite’ was not a viable option,” one source said. From that point, Trump’s circle adopted a policy of rejecting any negotiation involving government officials under U.S. sanctions or those tied to the regime’s repressive and criminal machinery...

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