Delcy Rodríguez becomes Venezuela’s interim president after Maduro’s ouster

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Delcy Rodríguez becomes Venezuela’s interim president after Maduro’s ouster

[html]Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, left, smiles at Venezuelan Defense Minister Padrino Lopez, as they take the route that the body of late President Hugo Chavez was transported to his final resting place, during the activities marking the 10th anniversary of Chavez's death, in Caracas, Venezuela, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)

2026-01-04T23:37:12Z

                                       

MEXICO CITY (AP) — As uncertainty simmers in Venezuela, interim President Delcy Rodríguez has taken the place of her ally         data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-capture-trump-attack-military-ceb21da088f0a06b1813e66922def9a3">President Nicolás Maduro, captured by the United States in a nighttime military operation, and offered “to collaborate” with the Trump administration in what could be a seismic shift in relations between the adversary governments.

Rodríguez served as Maduro’s vice president since 2018, overseeing much of Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy and its         data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-america-venezuela-caribbean-geneva-bdc41d47107ca8182ebff28315b9e452">feared intelligence service, and was next in the presidential line of succession.

She’s part of a band of senior officials in Maduro’s administration that now appears to control Venezuela, even as U.S. President Donald Trump and other officials say they will pressure the government to fall in line with its vision for the oil-rich nation.

On Saturday, Venezuela’s high court ordered her to assume the role of interim president, and the leader was backed by Venezuela’s military.

   
       




   

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Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks to supporters during a rally in defense of a proposed bill titled, “Law against fascism, neofascism and similar expressions”, in discussion by lawmakers, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

               
           
       
       
   

   
   
   


               
           
       

Rodríguez, a 56-year-old lawyer and politician has had a lengthy career representing the revolution started by the         data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7f96aa274b0a4891b5ccdc9d10a4f60c">late Hugo Chávez on the world stage. It’s been unclear if the leader would warm up to the Trump administration or follow the same adversarial line as her predecessor.

   
       
   

Her rise to become interim leader of the South American country came as a surprise on Saturday morning, when Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in communication with Rodríguez and that the Venezuelan leader was “gracious” and would work with the American government. Rubio said Rodríguez was someone the administration could work with, unlike Maduro.

   
   
       
           
               
   
   


   
   

       
   

           
       
   
   

But in a televised address, Rodríguez gave no indication that she would cooperate with Trump, referring to his government as “extremists” and maintaining that Maduro was Venezuela’s rightful leader.

“What is being done to Venezuela is an atrocity that violates international law,” Rodríguez said, surrounded by high-ranking civilian officials and military leaders.

   
       
   

Trump warned on Sunday, if Rodríguez didn’t fall in line, “she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.” He added that he wanted her to provide “total access,” from oil facilities to basic infrastructure like roads, so they can be rebuilt.

   
       
   

Trump’s comments also followed Rubio having asserted in TV interviews on Sunday that he didn’t see Rodríguez and her government as “legitimate” because he said the country never held free and fair elections.

         
           
               
               

   

       

       

       
     
   

   
   
       

   

   
       

   

   
       

   

   
       

   

   
       

   

   
       

   

   
       

   

   
       

   
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Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks about the presidential election results with foreign ambassadors and accredited diplomatic corps at the Foreign Ministry in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)