**Trump has consistently sidelined María Corina Machado in favor of interim leader Delcy Rodríguez since the January 2026 U.S. operation that captured Nicolás Maduro.** The administration praised Rodríguez for cooperation on oil access and stability, while Trump publicly stated Machado lacks sufficient domestic support to lead. Machado met Trump at the White House, presented her Nobel medal, and reaffirmed alignment with U.S. plans, yet officials advised against her immediate return and excluded her from direct roles in transition talks involving the opposition and Chavismo factions. Negotiations focus on electoral reforms and a phased path to elections—potentially 7–10 months away—with U.S. backing for Rodríguez as a pragmatic partner. These dynamics, including Machado’s exclusion from key dialogues and the administration’s emphasis on controlled stabilization over opposition leadership, underpin the 89.5% trader consensus against a Trump endorsement.