Following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States, the country’s Supreme Court has instructed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the role of interim president. The court said the decision was taken to ensure administrative continuity and safeguard national security.
The development was reported by the BBC on Sunday (4 January). According to the report, Rodríguez has been assigned temporary leadership of the state to prevent a power vacuum in the absence of President Maduro.
In its ruling, the court stated that the interim arrangement was necessary to maintain the continuity of government operations and to protect the country’s overall security. It also noted that further deliberations and reviews would be conducted to determine the applicable legal framework for governing the state, ensuring the legitimacy of the administration, and safeguarding national sovereignty during the president’s absence.
With this decision, an interim leadership structure has, for the time being, been put in place in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, President Maduro’s detention has sparked widespread international debate over who will ultimately control state power in Venezuela. Against this backdrop, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States would refrain from deploying troops directly to Venezuela if Vice President Delcy Rodríguez acted in line with Washington’s expectations.
Responding to a question from a journalist of the New York Post, Trump said, “We have spoken to her many times, and she understands the situation.”
He further claimed that Delcy Rodríguez has already been sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president and has agreed to work with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Analysts believe that these unfolding events have further complicated Venezuela’s political landscape and could have significant implications for the country’s future power structure as well as its international relations.