January 5, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
CARACAS — In a dramatic escalation of the political crisis gripping Venezuela, Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, the country’s vice president, has been sworn in as interim president, following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by United States forces earlier this week. The oath-taking ceremony took place on Monday, January 5, 2026, in the National Assembly in Caracas, as lawmakers and senior officials convened to affirm continuity of state leadership amid unprecedented turmoil.
Rodríguez — a long-time ally of Maduro and former vice president since 2018 assumed the presidency under authority granted by the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice, which declared her acting leader to ensure constitutional continuity after Maduro’s removal from office during the U.S. military operation. The assembly and high command of the armed forces formally endorsed her leadership in sessions marked by chants in support of the Venezuelan Socialist Unity Party (PSUV) and declarations of loyalty to the deposed president.
In her inaugural address to the National Assembly, Rodríguez paid homage to her predecessor while condemning the circumstances of his capture. She described Maduro and Flores as “heroes” being held hostage in the United States, denouncing what she characterised as an illegitimate external intervention against Venezuela’s sovereignty. Rodríguez pledged to act on behalf of all Venezuelans during this period of crisis and to work toward national stability and peace.
The ceremony was presided over by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and Rodríguez’s brother, consolidating both executive and legislative authority within a close familial and political circle. Supporters of the interim president emphasised the need to protect Venezuela’s constitutional order and resist foreign interference, even as international reactions varied sharply.
Rodríguez’s elevation marks her as the first woman to serve as Venezuela’s head of state, albeit temporarily, at a time when the nation confronts deep political divisions, intensifying international scrutiny, and diplomatic isolation. Her interim tenure, under Venezuelan constitutional provisions, remains subject to legal interpretations and political contestation both at home and abroad.
International responses have been mixed, with some governments questioning the legitimacy of the leadership transition amidst the extraordinary circumstances, while others express cautious engagement tied to broader geopolitical interests. With Maduro awaiting legal proceedings in the United States and Venezuela’s institutions navigating competing assertions of legitimacy, Rodríguez’s presidency ushers in a new phase of uncertainty for the country’s future governance and diplomatic posture.
As developments continue to unfold, observers closely monitor how Venezuela’s interim administration will balance domestic stability with mounting international pressures in one of the most consequential political chapters in recent regional history.