The Duran Podcast Can Delcy Rodríguez balance Chavismo and Trump demands? w/ Raymond Zucaro
Jan 15, 2026
Guest Raymond Zucaro, an emerging markets expert and founder of RVX, delves into Venezuela’s complex economic landscape. He highlights the country’s potential for recovery likening it to historical rebuilds. Zucaro discusses Delcy Rodríguez’s ability to balance Chavismo while navigating U.S. sanctions and outlines the current state of Chavismo as a populist movement. He assesses the implications of crime and unrest on government stability and the challenge of opposition leadership. Overall, he maintains an optimistic outlook for Venezuela's economic future.
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Venezuela Is A Rapid Recovery Opportunity
- Raymond Zucaro sees Venezuela as a once-in-a-lifetime economic recovery opportunity across oil, mining, and metals sectors.
- He compares potential recovery speed to post-war Iraq and argues production can rebound far faster than pundits claim.
Recoverable Oil Still Significant
- Rice University analysis reduces Venezuela's recoverable oil estimate but still places it above Russia and in line with Kuwait.
- Zucaro argues quantity and recoverable value keep Venezuela strategically important despite quality concerns.
Lift Sanctions To Kickstart Recovery
- Remove sanctions and restore access to insurance and financing to jump-start oil and broader economic recovery.
- Allowing firms like ExxonMobil and Chevron to return will catalyze airlines, healthcare, and other sectors.