Who is Delcy Rodriguez? Venezuelan leader named interim president; takes charge after Nicolas Maduro’s capture

Venezuela’s entered a new and uncertain phase on Saturday after President Nicolas Maduro was captured during a US military operation. With no immediate political transition announced, the country’s Supreme Court stepped in, ordering Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the role of interim president, in line with constitutional provisions dealing with a president’s absence.

Rodriguez took charge hours after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained. She chaired a meeting of the National Defence Council the same day, appearing alongside senior ministers and military officials.




In the meeting, she demanded the immediate release of Maduro and Flores and strongly condemned the US operation. In a televised address, Rodriguez said the early-morning strike violated international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty. She alsocalled on Venezuelans to remain united and urged governments across Latin America to reject what she described as the use of force against a sovereign nation.

Rodriguez also insisted that Maduro remains Venezuela’s legitimate president, despite his capture. “There is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolas Maduro,” she said during the council meeting broadcast on state television.

Trump told reporters following Mudaro's capture that Rodriguez was willing to cooperate with Washington. He said she had spoken at length with Rubio and had shown readiness to do “whatever” the US needed.

"I think she was quite gracious," Trump added. "We can't take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind."

Who is Delcy Rodriguez

• Delcy Rodriguez is Venezuela’s executive vice president and was directed by the Supreme Court to serve as interim president after Nicolas Maduro was captured during the US military operation.
• She is a trained lawyer from Caracas and studied law at the Central University of Venezuela.
• Rodriguez has been a senior figure in the chavismo political movement for more than two decades and is regarded as one of Maduro’s closest and most trusted political allies.
• She has held several powerful roles in government, including serving as Venezuela’s foreign minister.
• Before assuming the interim role, she was also in charge of key economic portfolios, overseeing finance and the country’s oil sector.
• She is the sister of Jorge Rodriguez, the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, and together they have been central figures in the government since the era of former president Hugo Chavez.