The country is trying to turn the page while Venezuelans take to the streets to gauge the true openness of Delcy Rodríguez’s government

After years trapped waiting for change, Venezuela has entered a new phase without its citizens fully understanding where they stand. Reality shifted abruptly, but remains shrouded in a mixture of optimism and uncertainty. Something has changed: the difficult part is defining how much, in what direction, and for how long. Although it does seem irreversible.

In Caracas, Nicolás Maduro’s name and face still appear on some billboards and television ads, but his presence has faded until it has disappeared from everyday conversations. And even from the sphere of power. Almost three months after his capture in a dramatic U.S. operation and just weeks before his trial begins in New York, the country functions—better—without him.

Instead, Delcy Rodríguez is gaining ground within Chavismo, and while she hasn’t dismantled the system that sustains her, she has been sidelining those most loyal to her predecessor in an attempt to distance herself from Maduro’s regime. In recent weeks, Rodríguez has shaken up her cabinet, replacing some ministers with others more aligned with her leadership. She has also dismantled the military hierarchy—including the powerful Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino—that controlled the country even after the defensive failure that resulted in Maduro’s capture. The new generals don’t represent a break—they remain loyal to the Bolivarian Revolution—but they are now her handpicked appointees.

There are scenes in Venezuela today that would have been unthinkable a few months ago. A transportation strike paralyzed Caracas, a released opposition member held a press conference to denounce Chavista repression, and a union march proceeded toward the National Assembly with signs demanding better wages and greater freedoms.

These images are now relatively common: workers, students, opposition members, and civil organizations are testing the limits of what they can do each day.

The most significant gesture of openness has been the amnesty law promoted by Rodríguez herself. The law contains clear exclusions—leaving out figures like María Corina Machado, whom Chavismo accuses of inciting military intervention—but it has benefited nearly 5,000 people, who have been released from prison or had their pretrial detention measures lifted.

Every morning, the radio is filled with news reports about the economic recovery: the construction sector, oil revenues, incoming investments, gold sales. The same refrain is repeated on public television.

In practice, the situation remains dire: the dollar rises daily, the exchange rate gap hasn’t been resolved, and inflation continues to be the main problem for ordinary Venezuelans.

The opposition is also trying to find its footing in this new phase. It is undergoing its own restructuring. María Corina Machado, the leader with the greatest popular support, remains outside the country, and although her priority is to return, it is not clear that she can do so as soon as she would like.

Some parties are already exploring channels of communication with Chavismo to gain ground in a scenario that is no longer one of total confrontation. Meanwhile, other figures are emerging, such as former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez, recently released from prison and publicly endorsed by Donald Trump, who invited him to deliver the State of the Union address.

See also:

• US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez (Associated Press)