Delcy Rodríguez Becomes Venezuela’s Interim President After Maduro’s Ouster

Delcy Rodríguez has been sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces in a military operation. The situation has created political uncertainty in the oil-rich nation.

Venezuela’s Supreme Court on January 3, 2026, ordered Delcy Rodríguez, who has served as vice president since 2018, to assume the role of interim leader after President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained and taken out of the country by U.S. special forces.

In its ruling, the court said Delcy would assume and exercise, in an acting capacity, all the attributes, duties and powers inherent to the office of President to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defence of the nation. The court added that it would further deliberate on the legal framework required to ensure state continuity amid the president’s forced absence.

Her appointment was backed by Venezuela’s military, signaling that power now rests with a group of senior officials from Maduro’s administration who appear to be maintaining control of the government despite mounting international pressure.

Her sudden rise to interim leadership came as a surprise when U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in contact with Rodríguez. Trump described her as “gracious,” while Rubio said she was someone the U.S. administration could work with, in contrast to Maduro.

However, Delcy struck a different tone in a televised address later in the day, referring to the Trump administration as “extremists” and insisting that Maduro remained Venezuela’s rightful leader. She gave no clear indication that she would cooperate with Washington.

Despite this, Delcy later said she was open to working with the United States on Venezuela’s future, signaling a possible shift in posture following the initial fallout from the operation.

Maduro’s detention marks one of the most high-profile and risky U.S. military actions in over a decade, drawing comparisons to the 2011 operation that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

A 56-year-old lawyer and seasoned politician, Delcy Rodríguez has been a prominent figure in Venezuela’s socialist government and a close ally of Maduro. During her tenure as vice president, she oversaw much of the country’s oil-dependent economy and played a key role in state security and intelligence operations.