Florida’s influential Republican lawmakers are openly questioning President Donald Trump’s bold strategy to sell Venezuelan oil while interim leader Delcy Rodríguez remains in power, a move they fear could hand Caracas’s rulers a political and financial lifeline.
Trump has authorized the sale of up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to earmark the proceeds for purposes that “benefit Venezuelans.” The first tranche of oil sales generated roughly $500 million, with about $300 million already flowing back into Venezuela’s economy.
But key members of Florida’s congressional delegation particularly strong supporters of opposition leader María Corina Machado are deeply uneasy. They argue Rodríguez, a close Maduro ally, could short-circuit U.S. intentions by diverting funds to entrenched networks of corruption.
“She’s doing what the Trump administration is requiring of her … but I think everybody understands that if they could, [Rodríguez’s government] would go back to their usual ways,” said Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.). “Delcy is not just a person that was Maduro’s vice president; she’s a person who has a very extensive record of corruption … she’s done horrific things.”
Echoing those concerns, Rep. María Salazar said she will push for ongoing oversight of how the money is used, adding skepticism about whether Venezuelan hospitals or workers will truly benefit. “We know what those people do with that money,” she said.
Rep. Carlos Giménez stressed that any revenue should help ordinary Venezuelans not be siphoned into regime coffers.
The State Department insists progress is being made and defends the leverage the U.S. now holds over Caracas, a claim bolstered by the administration’s effort to deposit initial oil revenues in a secure Qatari account to prevent seizure by creditors. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers hailed Trump as the “ultimate Dealmaker-in-Chief” whose energy sales will “restore prosperity and security in Venezuela.”
