U.S. intelligence reports have raised doubts about whether Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez is fully prepared to cooperate with the Trump administration by formally cutting ties with U.S. adversaries, according to four people familiar with the reports.

U.S. officials have publicly stated that they want Rodriguez to sever relations with close international allies such as Iran, China, and Russia. This would include expelling their diplomats and advisers from Venezuela. However, Rodriguez has not announced any such move so far. Her swearing-in ceremony earlier this month was attended by representatives from those countries, which has further raised questions in Washington.

Rodriguez became interim president after the United States captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. According to the intelligence reports, it is unclear whether she fully supports the U.S. strategy in Venezuela. The sources who shared this information chose not to be identified.

On January 15, CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Caracas and met with Rodriguez to discuss Venezuela’s political future. Reuters could not determine whether those talks changed the intelligence agencies’ assessment of her position.

Washington is seeking to reduce the influence of its rivals in the Western Hemisphere, especially in Venezuela, where former President Donald Trump aims to leverage the country’s vast oil reserves. If Rodriguez were to break ties with U.S. rivals, it could create more opportunities for U.S. investment in Venezuela’s energy sector. However, if Washington fails to influence Rodriguez, it could weaken U.S. efforts to guide Venezuela’s interim leadership and possibly lead to a deeper U.S. military role.

The Central Intelligence Agency and the Venezuelan government did not respond to requests for comment. When asked for a response, a senior Trump administration official, who declined to be identified, said that Trump “continues to exert maximum leverage” over Venezuela’s leaders and “expects this cooperation to continue.”

The CIA had previously assessed that officials loyal to Maduro, including Rodriguez, were in the best position to govern Venezuela after his removal. But critics of Trump’s Venezuela strategy have questioned the decision to keep Maduro’s loyalists in power as interim leaders. Concerns about Rodriguez’s reliability existed even before the U.S. military operation, according to two sources.

For Venezuela, following the U.S. directive would mean abandoning its closest allies outside the region. Iran has helped Venezuela repair its oil refineries, while China has accepted oil as repayment for debt. Russia has supplied weapons, including missiles, to Venezuela’s military. Trump has also identified communist-led Cuba as another U.S. adversary he wants Venezuela to distance itself from. Cuba has provided security and intelligence support to Venezuela in exchange for discounted oil.

Since Maduro’s removal, Rodriguez has taken steps to maintain favourable relations with Washington. These steps include releasing political prisoners and authorising the sale of 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. Despite these actions, Rodriguez recently expressed frustration with U.S. involvement. In a speech on Sunday, she said she has had “enough” of U.S. intervention. At the same time, U.S. officials have had positive calls with her in recent days, according to two sources.

The Trump administration currently sees no immediate alternative to working with Rodriguez, given its strong public support for her. However, U.S. officials are also developing contacts with senior military and security figures in Venezuela in case they decide to change their strategy, according to a source briefed on Venezuela policy.

The intelligence reports also addressed the role of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. According to the findings, Machado is not currently in a position to successfully run the country, partly because she lacks strong connections with Venezuela’s security services and oil sector. Although some observers and her supporters claim she won the 2024 election by a large margin, the state declared Maduro the winner. Machado remains popular among many Venezuelans.

Trump told reporters last week that he wanted Machado “involved” in Venezuela’s leadership, though he did not provide details. One person familiar with the administration’s discussions with Machado said she is viewed positively by the White House and is considered a longer-term option for a leadership role in the country. Another source suggested that she could be considered for an advisory role for now, but no final decision has been made. Representatives for Machado did not respond to requests for comment.