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Venezuela was plunged into fresh political uncertainty on Saturday after the country’s Supreme Court appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president, hours after the United States confirmed it had captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a dramatic overnight military operation.
The US action, described by President Donald Trump as a “large-scale strike”, marked an unprecedented escalation in Washington’s long-running confrontation with the Maduro government. Maduro and Flores were flown out of Venezuela following coordinated strikes on key military installations, including sites in and around Caracas. While US officials said no American troops were killed, Venezuelan authorities reported dozens of casualties, including civilians, though the full toll remains unclear.
Supreme Court Names Delcy Rodríguez Acting President
Venezuela’s Supreme Court said the appointment of Rodríguez was aimed at ensuring “administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation” during what it called the “forced absence” of the president. The court added that it would continue deliberations to determine the legal framework needed to guarantee the functioning of the state and the defense of sovereignty.
Rodríguez, however, struck a defiant tone in an audio message broadcast on state television, insisting that Maduro remained Venezuela’s legitimate leader. She demanded that the US provide proof of life for Maduro and Flores, saying, “There is only one president of this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro Moros.”
Her remarks appeared to contradict statements by Trump, who claimed Rodríguez had been “sworn in” and was prepared to cooperate with Washington as the US moved to “run Venezuela” in the immediate future.
Who Is Delcy Rodríguez?
Delcy Rodríguez, 56, is one of the most powerful figures in Venezuela’s ruling establishment. Born in Caracas on May 18, 1969, she is the daughter of Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, a left-wing guerrilla leader and founder of the Liga Socialista party in the 1970s.
A trained lawyer who studied at the Central University of Venezuela, Rodríguez rose swiftly through the political ranks over the past decade. She served as minister of communication and information from 2013 to 2014, before becoming foreign minister between 2014 and 2017. During her tenure, she was a fierce international defender of the Maduro government, once attempting to force her way into a Mercosur meeting after Venezuela was suspended from the bloc.
In 2017, she headed the pro-government Constituent Assembly that significantly expanded Maduro’s powers. A year later, Maduro appointed her vice president, famously calling her a “tiger” for her uncompromising defense of the socialist government.
In August 2024, Rodríguez was given charge of Venezuela’s oil ministry in addition to her vice-presidential duties, placing her at the center of efforts to manage crippling US sanctions on the country’s most vital industry. She also oversees economic policy and works closely with her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly.
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What Happens Next?
The US has justified its operation by accusing Venezuela of fueling illegal migration, acting as a major transit hub for drug trafficking, and sheltering what Washington describes as “narco-terrorism” networks. Trump has repeatedly linked the Maduro government to the surge of migrants at the US southern border.
With Maduro in US custody and Rodríguez installed as acting president by the Supreme Court, Venezuela now faces a volatile period marked by competing claims of legitimacy, international pressure, and uncertainty over who truly holds power in Caracas. How long Rodríguez remains in office, and whether fresh elections or international mediation follow, remains unclear as the crisis continues to unfold.