As millions of Venezuelans wait to see what will happen to their economically and politically devastated country, a battle has erupted between two female leaders for control over the nation's future and the favor of the US president.
On one side is opposition leader and Nobel Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, who became known in recent years for her relentless fight for democracy in Venezuela, confronting the now-deposed former dictator, Nicolas Maduro.
It has remained largely hidden since Venezuela's disputed 2024 presidential election, after which government-controlled electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner - allowing him to remain in power until his capture by US special forces in a stunning raid two weeks ago.
Her rival is Delcy Rodriguez – Maduro's vice president, who is now taking on her new role as interim president.
Rodriguez is seen as a staunch member of the old guard and a staunch defender of Maduro; but she is walking a precarious tightrope in trying to appease both Washington and Maduro regime loyalists at home.
At the center of their fight is a figure more than 3,200 kilometers away: President Donald Trump, who ordered the raid in Caracas and declared that the United States would "run" Venezuela in the meantime.
Although Trump has so far refrained from a second attack on Venezuela, the threat of military intervention remains.
He recently said his administration would begin targeting drug cartels on land, after months of attacks on suspected drug ships at sea.
And he has kept a large US military force in the Caribbean to continue heavy attacks on Caracas.
Perhaps most importantly, Trump's election could affect the future of Venezuela's leadership and who will take the helm.
On the surface, it seems simple - Trump has praised Rodriguez but refused to endorse Machado, despite her having powerful supporters within his administration.
But Trump's discussions with other world leaders have shown that his opinions can change quickly.
Both Machado and Rodriguez have communicated directly with the US president.
On Wednesday, Trump said he had spoken to Rodriguez on the phone, calling him a "wonderful person" and saying they were "getting along very well."
Machado is going a step further by meeting Trump face-to-face in Washington, writes CNN.
But the opposition leader may face a tougher battle thanks to a peace prize.
She has some powerful allies within the White House - Secretary of State Marco Rubio was among those who praised her work and nominated her for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Even Trump himself, before his inauguration last year, called Machado a freedom fighter.
But that support seems to have waned when Machado won the Nobel Prize - which Trump has made no secret of wanting for himself.
"I can't think of anyone in history who should get the Nobel Prize more than me. And I don't want to brag, but nobody else solved wars," Trump said.
After ousting Maduro, Trump claimed that Machado "does not have the support or respect within the country" to be a leader.
Machado has tried to "appease" the president, partially dedicating the award to him when he won it last October.
In recent weeks, she suggested she would offer her prize to Trump even though the Norwegian Nobel Institute has said it cannot be transferred.
Trump said it would be an honor to receive her award, but did not directly answer whether it might make her reconsider her role in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Trump has also expressed his willingness to meet "at some point" with Rodriguez, who now faces a difficult balancing act.
On the one hand, Rodriguez has openly denounced the American operation, condemning Maduro's capture as a "blatant violation of Venezuelan sovereignty."
But now she is using a more conciliatory tone, offering a "cooperation agenda" with the US.
Its government has begun releasing high-profile prisoners as a peace gesture, including some Americans.
Rodriguez has long had a complicated relationship with the US.
As her rival Machado has pointed out, the incumbent president is under US sanctions for human rights violations - which she has consistently denied.
At the same time, it has worked for years to strengthen bilateral relations - particularly through oil, with Venezuela having the largest reported oil reserves in the world. /Telegraph/
