Machado vows to be Venezuela president ‘when the right time comes’

Trump and Rodriguez had their first telephone call on Wednesday and the White House said he “likes what he’s seeing” from her.

Rodriguez said however that her government will stand up to Washington.

“We know they are very powerful … we are not afraid to confront them diplomatically, through political dialogue,” she said Thursday.

Rodriguez was delivering Maduro’s state of the nation address to parliament while the long-time authoritarian leader is in a New York jail facing drug trafficking charges.

By contrast Machado, who campaigned for years to end leftist Maduro’s rule, was greeted by jubilant supporters in Washington.

The New York Times reported that CIA director John Ratcliffe met with Rodriguez on Thursday, a further sign that Washington sees her as its favoured leader in the short-term.