Venezuelans Overwhelmingly Oppose Trump-Delcy Rodriguez Meeting, Survey Reveals

A survey conducted prior to the meeting between President Donald Trump and interim President Delcy Rodriguez revealed a staggering 91% of Venezuelans disapproved of the encounter. The meeting, which occurred on Wednesday in New York during the UN General Assembly, drew significant opposition from the Venezuelan populace.

The Venezuelan firm Meganálisis conducted the poll from September 15-19, surveying 1,627 adults across Venezuela. Results indicated that while 91% disapproved, only 4% supported the meeting, and 5% were undecided.

Discontent Extended Beyond the Meeting

The survey highlighted broader dissatisfaction, with 94% of respondents stating they did not feel represented by Rodriguez at the UN General Assembly, contrasting with a mere 3% who did.

The face-to-face meeting between Trump and Rodriguez, held at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, lasted roughly 15 minutes. It marked the first such interaction between a U.S. president and a Venezuelan leader in over a decade.

Rodriguez characterized the meeting as "historic," noting discussions focused on energy, mining, and security issues. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized topics such as restructuring Venezuela's sovereign debt, economic stabilization, and a shift towards free elections.

U.S. Policy Remains Unchanged

Despite the meeting, the U.S. Department of State, through spokesperson Natalia Molano, clarified that it did not signify a recognition of the Venezuelan regime's legitimacy, affirming that "Washington's strategy remains unchanged."

The survey also highlighted significant disapproval of a controversial oil agreement signed on August 28 between Washington and Caracas, touted by Trump as "the largest oil deal in history." The agreement involves the development of 17 strategic fields with confirmed reserves of approximately 65 billion barrels over 25 years. Meganálisis found that 80% of those surveyed opposed the deal, with only 13% in favor.

Earlier Meganálisis research from late August, involving 1,129 adults via telephone interviews, showed a dramatic fall in Trump's approval among Venezuelans. Approval ratings plummeted from 92% in January, following Nicolás Maduro's capture, to 21% in late August, while disapproval soared from 6% to 69% in the same period.

Additionally, 70% of respondents believed Trump captured Maduro "to seize the country's oil," compared to 9% who thought it was "to liberate Venezuelans."

Demand for Political Change

The Meganálisis findings underscore a widespread call for political change in Venezuela. A significant 88% deemed it "very urgent" for the chavismo to relinquish power, and 79% prioritized presidential elections over other electoral processes.

In a hypothetical electoral scenario presented by the pollster, María Corina Machado garnered 61% of the vote intention, vastly outpacing Rodriguez, who received just 3%.

Machado had previously insisted that any oil agreement between the U.S. and Venezuela should be signed with "a serious and democratic government." The opposition leader also noted the technical requirement of approximately 40 weeks from the appointment of a new National Electoral Council to organize elections.

After her meeting with Trump, Rodriguez declared at the UN General Assembly that "there will be elections in Venezuela," although she did not specify a date or provide an electoral timeline.

The Meganálisis data thus provides a snapshot of public opinion preceding the New York meeting, revealing deep-seated disapproval of both the Trump-Rodriguez meeting and the oil agreement between Washington and Caracas.