The U.S. has maintained formal ties and advanced energy agreements with interim President Delcy Rodríguez since Nicolás Maduro’s January 2026 capture, prioritizing stability, oil sector access, and phased negotiations over any shift to María Corina Machado. Trump administration statements have repeatedly noted Machado’s limited domestic institutional support and have kept her outside core transition talks, while her multiple blocked return attempts from exile underscore the absence of official backing. This approach aligns with a three-phase plan emphasizing security and investment before elections, leaving little room for formal U.S. recognition of Machado as leader by year-end. Late developments such as a sudden diplomatic pivot, major security incident, or explicit White House reversal could still reopen the possibility, though current policy signals make such changes improbable within the remaining timeframe.