• EU spokesperson said Rodriguez mandate derived from electoral process that failed democratic standards
• European Commission will maintain targeted engagement to protect its interests
• Brussels supports democratic transition led by opposition including Nobel laureate Machado

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (TDR) — The European Union announced Tuesday it will not recognize the legitimacy of Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez, mirroring its previous refusal to recognize ousted leader Nicolás Maduro while maintaining limited diplomatic contact to protect European interests.

European Commission spokesperson for foreign affairs Anitta Hipper delivered the EU’s position during a Brussels briefing, emphasizing that Rodriguez lacks democratic legitimacy despite her formal swearing-in Monday before Venezuela’s National Assembly.

Electoral Process Lacked Democratic Legitimacy

Hipper explained the European Union’s rationale for refusing recognition based on how Rodriguez and the Maduro government came to power.

“Delcy Rodriguez has just been sworn as interim president of Venezuela. The authorities in Venezuela derived their mandate from an electoral process that failed to respect the will of the people for democratic change.”

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The European Commission spokesperson noted that Rodriguez was appointed following Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces Saturday, with Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice ordering her to assume presidential powers to ensure administrative continuity.

Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president and minister of economy, appeared on state television Monday describing Maduro as Venezuela’s “only president” and calling for national unity while he remains detained in the United States.

Targeted Engagement Despite Non-Recognition

Despite refusing to recognize Rodriguez’s legitimacy, the EU signaled it would maintain selective diplomatic contact with Venezuelan authorities.

“Even though we have not recognized the legitimacy of President Maduro and the same for Delcy Rodriguez as such, we will maintain targeted engagement throughout the Venezuelan authorities to safeguard our own interests.”

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Hipper emphasized the engagement would be limited and strategic, designed to protect European interests in Venezuela while supporting eventual democratic transition. The approach mirrors the EU’s policy toward the Maduro government over recent years.

The European Union has maintained this posture since 2018, when it sanctioned Rodriguez and other Venezuelan officials for undermining democracy and rule of law. Brussels froze her assets and issued a travel ban against her for her role in Venezuela’s constitutional crisis.

Support for Democratic Opposition

The European Commission expressed clear preference for Venezuela’s democratic opposition to lead any transition process.

Hipper said the EU expects to see Venezuela’s future “shaped by an inclusive dialogue leading to a democratic transition” that includes actors committed to democracy, such as Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle to achieve peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, has called for Gonzalez to be recognized as Venezuela’s rightful president. The opposition claims Gonzalez won the July 2024 presidential election that Maduro claimed victory in amid widespread allegations of fraud.

The Nobel Committee recognized Machado specifically for her efforts to achieve “a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy” in Venezuela.

International Division Over Venezuela

The EU’s position contrasts sharply with the Trump administration’s approach, which has signaled willingness to work with Rodriguez and maintain Maduro-era institutions during a transition period.

President Donald Trump dismissed Machado’s leadership potential despite her Nobel Prize and widespread support among Venezuelans, telling reporters she “doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country” to lead.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect to be a leader.”

Trump announced the United States would “run” Venezuela temporarily, working with Rodriguez’s interim government to control oil sales and manage transition. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Rodriguez’s cooperation with U.S. demands while stating it was too early for opposition leaders to assume power.

Background on Rodriguez

Rodriguez comes from a prominent Venezuelan socialist family. Her father, Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, was a founder of the Socialist League, a Marxist political party, and was killed by Venezuelan intelligence services in 1976 during the dictatorship preceding Chavismo.

She served in various high-level positions under Maduro, including as foreign minister before becoming vice president. As minister of economy, Rodriguez oversaw Venezuela’s struggling oil sector and relationships with China, Russia, Iran and Cuba—the very countries the Trump administration now demands Venezuela sever ties with.

Rodriguez’s brother, Jorge Rodriguez Gomez, serves as president of Venezuela’s National Assembly and administered her oath of office Monday.

Machado Calls for Democratic Transition

Opposition leader Machado released a statement Monday through her party Vente Venezuela outlining conditions for legitimate democratic transition.

“Today we are ready to enforce our mandate and take power. Let us remain vigilant, active and organized until the Democratic Transition is achieved—a transition that requires each and every one of us.”

The statement described ongoing political changes as “inevitable and irreversible” and demanded the release of political prisoners, restoration of truth, and ensuring justice prevails over impunity. Machado’s organization warned the only legitimate path to democracy involves full restoration of sovereignty to the Venezuelan people.

Despite Trump’s dismissal, polls show Machado maintains 72% approval ratings among Venezuelans. The opposition leader has dedicated supporters both inside Venezuela and among the diaspora, particularly in South Florida’s large Venezuelan community.

Complex Geopolitical Calculations

The EU’s refusal to recognize Rodriguez reflects broader European concerns about the precedent set by the U.S. military operation that captured Maduro. Several European leaders condemned the raid as a violation of international law and national sovereignty.

However, Brussels also faces the reality that Rodriguez controls Venezuela’s administrative apparatus and any engagement with the country requires working with existing institutions. The “targeted engagement” policy attempts to balance democratic principles with practical necessities.

The situation puts the EU in alignment with several Latin American countries that have called for democratic transition respecting Venezuelan sovereignty, while distancing Brussels from the Trump administration’s more interventionist approach.

Will the EU’s principled stance on democratic legitimacy influence Venezuela’s transition, or will Trump’s control of Venezuelan oil and cooperation with Rodriguez determine the country’s future?

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