Following the dramatic extraction of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, Delcy Rodríguez has formally assumed the presidency, signaling a fragile pivot toward cooperation even as she condemns the “kidnapping” of her predecessor.
In a ceremony at the National Assembly on Monday (January 5, 2026), Delcy Rodríguez was officially sworn in as the interim president of Venezuela. The 56-year-old labor lawyer and former Vice President took the oath administered by her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, following a weekend of unprecedented upheaval that saw Operation Absolute Resolve remove Nicolás Maduro from power and transport him to a federal detention center in New York.
The swearing-in follows the January 3 military operation where 150 U.S. aircraft conducted precision strikes across northern Venezuela to capture Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
- The Oath: “I come as the executive vice president of the constitutional president… to take the oath in the name of all Venezuelans,” Rodríguez said, balancing loyalty to Maduro with the reality of her new role.
- Military Support: On Sunday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino and the Venezuelan Armed Forces formally recognized her authority for a 90-day interim period, urging the population to resume normal activities.
- Parliamentary Support: Lawmakers re-elected Jorge Rodríguez as parliament speaker, effectively putting executive and legislative control in the hands of the Rodríguez family.
The inauguration was attended by high-ranking diplomats from nations that have long backed Maduro, signaling that Caracas isn’t yet fully pivoting toward Washington.
| Foreign Power | Reaction to Swearing-In | Strategic Stance |
| China | Ambassador Lan Hu was the first to embrace her. | Condemned the U.S. strike but maintains economic interests. |
| Russia | Ambassador Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov offered formal support. | Accused the U.S. of a “flagrant violation of international law.” |
| Iran | Ambassador Ali Chegini signaled respect with a formal bow. | Views the U.S. intervention as “state-sponsored kidnapping.” |
| United States | Donald Trump stated, “We are in charge.” | Warned Rodríguez to “behave” or face a “second strike.” |
While Rodríguez initially called the U.S. operation an “atrocity,” her tone shifted remarkably by Monday. Addressing President Donald Trump directly, she invited the U.S. to “work jointly on an agenda of cooperation” aimed at shared development and peaceful coexistence.
Trump has described her as “quite gracious” in early communications with Senator Marco Rubio, though he warned that if she doesn’t “do what’s right,” she’ll pay a “bigger price than Maduro.”
A trained lawyer who studied in Britain and France, Delcy is often seen as more “market-friendly” than the hard-line military figures of the Chávismo era. Unlike many in Maduro’s inner circle, she doesn’t currently face U.S. criminal charges, which may make it easier for her to play the “collaborative” role Trump envisions in “fixing” Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy.
The administration faces an immediate test of legitimacy. While the Supreme Court and military have backed Rodríguez, Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado remains a powerful opposition force. For now, the “Rodríguez siblings” hold the reins of a country under effective U.S. military quarantine, with the first 90 days of this interim presidency likely to determine if Venezuela heads toward a democratic transition or further conflict.
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