Who is Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s new leader after Maduro’s capture?

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s leadership shifted abruptly after President Nicolás Maduro was captured during a U.S. military operation, placing Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez in charge of the South American nation on an interim basis, in line with the country’s constitution.

Under Articles 233 and 234 of Venezuela’s constitution, the vice president assumes presidential powers when the head of state is absent, whether temporarily or permanently. Rodríguez formally took over presidential duties on Saturday.

Hours after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into custody, Rodríguez convened an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council, joined by senior ministers and top officials. She demanded the couple’s “immediate release” and strongly condemned the U.S. operation.

Speaking in front of the Venezuelan flag, Rodríguez said the early-morning raid amounted to a “blatant violation” of international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty. She called on Venezuelans to reject the action and urged governments across Latin America to condemn it.

Rodríguez, 56, was born in Caracas and holds a law degree from the Central University of Venezuela. She has been a prominent figure in chavismo — the political movement founded by former President Hugo Chávez — for more than two decades. After Chávez’s death in 2013, the movement was led by Maduro.

Alongside her brother Jorge Rodríguez, the current president of the National Assembly, she has occupied key positions of power since the Chávez era. She served as minister of communication and information from 2013 to 2014, and as foreign minister from 2014 to 2017.

As foreign minister, Rodríguez became one of the government’s most vocal defenders, pushing back against international criticism over democratic backsliding and alleged human rights abuses. She frequently represented Venezuela at international forums, including the United Nations, where she accused foreign governments of attempting to undermine the country.

In 2017, Rodríguez was appointed president of the Constituent National Assembly, a body that expanded the government’s authority after the opposition won the 2015 legislative elections. In 2018, Maduro named her vice president at the start of his second term.

She retained the post during Maduro’s third term, which began Jan. 10, 2025, following the disputed July 28, 2024, elections. Until Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez also served as Venezuela’s top economic official and minister of petroleum.

Venezuela’s opposition continues to argue that the 2024 elections were fraudulent and maintains that Maduro was not legitimately elected. Opposition leaders insist that the true winner was former ambassador Edmundo González Urrutia — a claim supported by several governments in the region.

GAROWE ONLINE