Survey Reveals Popularity of Marco Rubio in Venezuela
A recent survey from market research firm Atlas Intel has determined that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is considered the most popular politician in Venezuela, with 57% of those surveyed viewing him favorably.
The survey results, released on Thursday, are part of a wider study conducted between February 19 and 25. Many Venezuelans seem to hold a more positive outlook for their country following the arrest of the socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro in January.
In fact, 58% of respondents believe that the economy and job market in Venezuela will improve over the next six months. They attribute this optimism to Delcy Rodríguez’s ongoing collaboration with President Trump’s administration aimed at attracting foreign investment and the easing of US sanctions against Venezuela’s government. A similar proportion of participants expressed hope that the expected improvements would enable them to buy more goods as the economy picks up.
The Atlas Intel study further indicated that 52% of respondents feel that civil liberties have improved since Maduro’s arrest and the government began cooperating with the United States. This sentiment aligns with the noticeable rise in peaceful protests in January, which local NGOs reported. Protesters seem to feel less afraid of repercussions from Venezuelan authorities, who, under heavier scrutiny from the US and international community, appear to have lessened their persecution of demonstrators.
When asked about their views on various political figures, Rubio was at the top, with 57% reporting a positive impression of him.
Close behind was anti-socialist leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Colina Machado, receiving favorable views from 56% of respondents. President Trump followed in third, with 53% of Venezuelans holding a positive image of him.
Former Venezuelan diplomat Edmundo González, who had legitimately defeated Maduro in a controversial election in July 2024, ranked fourth with 51% support before Maduro claimed victory in a state of affairs many view as fraudulent.
In comparison, only 29% of participants had a favorable view of acting president Delcy Rodriguez. Approximately 37% approved of her leadership, while 44% disapproved, reflecting her lower numbers compared to opposition figures, even trailing behind President Trump and Rubio. Notably, just 22% expressed a positive view of Nicolas Maduro, who remains in custody in Brooklyn facing various drug trafficking charges. Maduro, along with his wife Cilia Flores, is due in federal court again on March 26.
Despite the generally improved outlook, many Venezuelans still cite issues like corruption, democratic decline, poverty, and unemployment as significant challenges facing the country.
Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president until his arrest, has continued productive engagement with the US government post-arrest.
She has recently been aligning efforts with President Trump and Rubio’s three-step initiative to restore democracy in Venezuela, a country that once enjoyed positive relations with the US before the rise of Hugo Chávez and the 1999 Bolivarian Revolution. In January, Trump announced plans for US oil firms to help rebuild Venezuela’s beleaguered oil sector in exchange for sharing oil resources.
This week, during his annual State of the Union address, Trump mentioned that the US has imported 80 million barrels of oil from Venezuela.”
Trump noted, “America’s oil production has increased by over 600,000 barrels daily, and we just received more than 80 million barrels of oil from our new friend and partner, Venezuela.”
At an official event, Rodriguez praised the US for their friendly comments. Trump, she stated, had referred to Venezuela as a “partner and friend,” emphasizing that the US has never been an adversary and has always pursued policies of friendship and cooperation.
Rodriguez urged for the end of sanctions and blockades, arguing that they also affect the youth of Venezuela, as she stood alongside Maduro’s son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, and other youth officials from the regime.
