Delcy Rodríguez seeks to end Venezuela's isolation, bypassing Maduro at UN

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez is in New York this week attempting to end the country's diplomatic isolation, meeting with leaders of the IMF, World Bank, and Donald Trump before her Wednesday UN General Assembly address, while her deposed predecessor Nicolás Maduro awaits trial in US custody. Rodríguez, who was never elected to her position, has held meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva, and World Bank president Ajay Banga since arriving Monday, and met with Trump on Tuesday to discuss bilateral cooperation on energy, mining, and security. Her trip follows Venezuela's diplomatic re-engagement with several Latin American nations and Israel since Maduro's capture by US forces on January 3. Trump has touted Venezuela as his major foreign policy victory, with a Pentagon deal granting a private firm access to 65 billion barrels of oil reserves. Brazilian President Lula has criticized the arrangement, saying Venezuela's sovereignty has ended and calling for fresh elections, while opposition leader María Corina Machado remains barred from returning to the country.