Zelensky visits the US to present his “victory plan”

Meet the Viceroy of Venezuela

According to a detailed New York Times exposé, Venezuela is effectively run by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who controls the country’s finances, greenlights government appointments, and implements (or waives) sanctions. He even reviews the social media posts of president Delcy Rodríguez, whom the US installed after deposing Nicolás Maduro in January. But Rubio’s position as the new viceroy of Venezuela (the “Mountbatten of Miraflores,” if you like) is fraught. Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles, has long called for democracy in a country that he himself now effectively rules. Rubio has suggested that a democratic transition could come after a period of economic “stabilization” (in particular of the lucrative oil sector). Most Venezuelans, meanwhile, seem to want fresh elections now. The question of who leads Venezuela next may, ironically, affect who ends up leading the US next. Rubio is expected to run for president in 2028. His success or failure in Venezuela, where he is already gaining “executive experience,” will be a major story line in that race.