In a dramatic turn following the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s Supreme Court has formally appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president.
The decision was announced late Saturday night (local time) by Justice Tania D’Amelio during a televised session on state broadcaster VTV. The court ruled that Maduro is in a “material and temporary impossibility to exercise his functions” after being taken into U.S. custody on January 3, 2026.
According to the order, Rodríguez will “assume and exercise, as acting president, all the powers, duties, and faculties inherent to the office of president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.” The stated goal is to “guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation.”
Venezuela’s constitution provides that in cases of temporary or absolute absence of the president, the vice president steps in to assume leadership. The court framed Maduro’s removal as a temporary absence, triggering this constitutional mechanism.
Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro ally and key figure in his administration, now holds executive authority amid deep uncertainty over the country’s future. Her appointment comes as the United States has signaled plans to temporarily oversee governance and access Venezuela’s oil reserves while a transition is organized.
The move has sparked immediate reactions: Maduro loyalists have called it an illegitimate handover under foreign pressure, while opposition voices see it as an opportunity to push for broader democratic change.
For millions of Venezuelans hoping for stability after years of crisis, this is another chapter in a rapidly unfolding saga with no clear ending in sight.