Rick Scott Criticizes Delcy Rodríguez's Legitimacy

Florida's Republican Senator Rick Scott delivered a strong statement on Saturday via X, challenging the legitimacy of Delcy Rodríguez's government and labeling her as a "cartel leader." His remarks came just days after Rodríguez met with President Donald Trump in New York.

"I've been clear: Delcy Rodríguez is NOT the legitimate president of Venezuela. She is a cartel leader who should collaborate with the United States as we strive for a true democratic transition and ensure that promises made are kept," Scott declared in a bilingual post on X.

Scott emphasized that Washington is fully aware of Rodríguez's role at the helm of the Venezuelan government, stating, "The United States knows exactly who Delcy Rodríguez is."

The senator demanded the restoration of Venezuela's democratic institutions, beginning with the establishment of a legitimate Supreme Court capable of ensuring free and fair elections.

He insisted that all candidates should have the opportunity to run and campaign without facing oppression, intimidation, or persecution. He specifically mentioned María Corina Machado as a central figure: "She must be able to return to her country and live, organize, and participate freely."

Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2025 and a leading Venezuelan opposition figure, has made at least seven unsuccessful attempts to return to Venezuela since June 2026, including three in one day from Panama City in mid-September.

Scott also called for the immediate release of all Venezuelan political prisoners: "Every political prisoner must be freed, without exceptions or conditions. Venezuela cannot be free while innocent people remain jailed for standing up to this evil regime."

He concluded by acknowledging the leadership of President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "Every day, we get closer to seeing the Venezuelan people finally achieve the freedom, democracy, and future they have fought and sacrificed for."

Scott's comments come at a time of tension within the Republican Party regarding the United States' approach to Venezuela. While the Trump administration has pursued a pragmatic approach — including the meeting between Trump and Rodríguez, marking the first face-to-face encounter between a U.S. president and a Venezuelan leader in over 11 years — Scott has maintained a stance of maximum pressure.

Before the meeting, the senator warned that a photo of Trump with Rodríguez would be "a slap in the face" for Venezuelans. The State Department clarified through spokesperson Natalia Molano that the meeting "does not imply recognition of legitimacy" of the Chavista government and that "Washington's strategy remains unchanged."

This week, Rodríguez returned to Caracas without visiting Nicolás Maduro at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center and refrained from mentioning his name during her 19-minute speech at the UN General Assembly, where she promised elections without specifying a date.

A Meganálisis poll showing 91% Venezuelan disapproval of the Trump-Rodríguez meeting reflects the public's mood: 94% rejected Rodríguez representing them at the UN, and 80% opposed the 25-year oil agreement signed in August. In a hypothetical electoral scenario, Machado would secure 61% of the votes compared to Rodríguez's 3%.

In May, Rick Scott asserted that Rodríguez "is not the president. She is the head of a cartel," and called her "despicable." Days later, he held her accountable for the death of a political prisoner's mother who was murdered and urged that she be tried for what he described as a crime against humanity.