A report by The New York Times claims that former U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been exerting significant influence over Venezuela’s state affairs from Washington. Over the past six months, Rubio’s role has reportedly expanded across key areas including the economy, natural resources, government decisions, and sanctions enforcement. The report links this development to a U.S. special forces operation earlier this year that led to the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, after which Rubio began working closely with the country’s interim administration.

According to the report, Rubio maintains regular communication with Delcy Rodríguez, recognized by the U.S. as Venezuela’s interim leader, through Spanish-language WhatsApp exchanges. It also claims that most of Venezuela’s export revenues are first deposited in the U.S. Treasury before being released to Venezuelan banks under conditions determined by Rubio’s team. This arrangement is said to have reduced corruption and eased pressure from international creditors while increasing U.S. influence over the interim government.

The report further states that Rubio plays a key role in implementing sanctions, reforming Venezuela’s oil sector, and advising on major government appointments. However, the claims have not been independently verified, and neither the U.S. nor Venezuelan governments have issued official responses.