Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez has assumed the nation’s top leadership position following the US apprehension of Nicolás Maduro. The country’s official presidential website has designated her as the interim head of state.
Recent visuals and press communications from Sunday evening depict Rodríguez, the longstanding vice president, leading an urgent assembly of the Council of Ministers in Caracas. Authorities have verified that this meeting marks Rodríguez’s debut as the acting president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
In an online address, Rodríguez expressed her desire to establish cordial relations with President Trump and the United States, extending an invitation for collaboration aimed at mutual development within the boundaries of international law to enhance enduring peaceful coexistence.
Additionally, Rodríguez characterized Maduro’s ousting as a “temporary absence,” condemning the US for the “abduction” of the deposed leader and his spouse in an alleged unlawful act of aggression.
Despite the absence of a formal swearing-in ceremony on state television, Rodríguez refrained from explicitly declaring herself as the interim leader during a televised speech on Sunday. While she was still referred to as the vice president in a scrolling headline below her address, she refrained from alluding to any political transition or leadership alteration.
Rejecting President Trump’s assertion that she would cooperate with the US, Rodríguez affirmed to her nation that the actions taken against Venezuela are a violation of international law, promising that those endorsing such armed aggression will be held accountable by history and justice.
President Trump cautioned that if Rodríguez does not comply, she will face severe repercussions, potentially greater than those faced by Maduro. He expressed a desire for comprehensive access to Venezuela, encompassing resources such as oil and infrastructure like roads. These remarks followed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statements on Sunday, discrediting Rodríguez and her government as lacking legitimacy due to Venezuela’s allegedly unfair electoral practices.
Rodríguez’s appointment coincides with the impending legal charges against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, his spouse, and four others by the US on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, as disclosed in documents released by US Attorney General Pam Bondi following their dramatic arrest.
Alongside the narco-terrorism conspiracy charge, the indictment includes allegations of cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weaponry.