Venezuela earthquakes: Nearly 7 million may be impacted — UN
Skip next section Will the Trump administration exploit crisis to seek more concessions from the Venezuelan government? 06/26/2026 June 26, 2026 Will the Trump administration
Skip next section Will the Trump administration exploit crisis to seek more concessions from the Venezuelan government? 06/26/2026 June 26, 2026 Will the Trump administration exploit crisis to seek more concessions from the Venezuelan government? US President Donald Trump has touted his relationship with the Venezuelan government under Delcy Rodriguez. Rodriguez came to power after the US military ousted President Nicolas Maduro and took him to the US to face trial. Since taking office, Rodriguez has agreed to open up Venezuela's state-run oil sector to foreign companies and has announced the release of political prisoners — both demands of the US.
DW asked Dr. Annette Idler, an associate professor at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government, if the Trump administration will use the disaster situation after the earthquakes in Venezuela to bolster US influence there and get more more concessions from the Rodriguez government. "I think it is too early to say whether the Trump administration will seek additional concessions from the Rodriguez government," Idler told DW. "What we can say is that major humanitarian crises often create moments in which international influence expands because countries providing significant assistance naturally become more important partners in recovery and reconstruction." Trump has referred to Delcy Rodriguez as a 'terrific person' Image: Miraflores Palace/Handout/REUTERS "The key question is therefore not simply how much support the United States provides, but how that support is structured.
If reconstruction is carried out in a way that strengthens Venezuelan institutions and remains locally led, it can reinforce the country's political transition," Idler said. "If, on the other hand, recovery becomes overly
dependent on decisions taken in Washington, perceptions of US influence are likely to grow. That balance between international support and local ownership will be one of the defining political challenges in the months ahead."
The BriefWire