Trump’s Influential Venezuela Adviser Mauricio Claver-Carone Steps Away from Role

Mauricio Claver-Carone, a key adviser who helped shape the Trump administration’s Venezuela strategy, has confirmed that he is no longer involved in overseeing U.S. policy toward the South American nation.

Although he held no formal government office, Claver-Carone worked closely with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was widely viewed by officials and business leaders as one of the administration’s most influential figures on Venezuela.

Speaking to Reuters, Claver-Carone insisted that his departure was voluntary.

“I’m retired on Venezuela,” he said. However, multiple sources familiar with the matter claimed he was effectively forced out in recent weeks.

During his tenure, Claver-Carone played a central role in major decisions involving Venezuela’s estimated $200 billion debt restructuring, oil-sector negotiations, and business opportunities for U.S. companies.

He also reportedly helped secure a contract worth more than $150 million for restructuring Venezuela’s debt and participated in back-channel talks between the Venezuelan government and opposition leaders.

Despite his influence, his involvement in sensitive business negotiations reportedly created tensions within the U.S. State Department and among some investors, who questioned whether a private citizen should wield such authority.

The State Department denied reports that Claver-Carone had been removed from an official position, emphasizing that he never held a formal role in the Trump administration.

Claver-Carone also rejected suggestions that he or his private investment fund had any financial interests in Venezuela.

Political analysts say his departure may reshape the personalities involved in U.S.-Venezuela relations, but it is unlikely to produce an immediate shift in Washington’s broader policy toward Caracas.