Delcy Rodríguez is a Venezuelan lawyer, diplomat and politician who was Vice President of Venezuela from 2018,[1] concurrently with the roles of finance minister, oil minister and head official of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN).[2]. On 3 January 2026, following the abduction of President Maduro by US special forces, Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered that Delcy Rodríguez assume the presidency due to Maduro's “forced absence.” The Venezuelan Constitution, according to Article 234, states that the vice president will fill the president’s temporary absence for up to 90 days, a period that can be extended for another 90 days by decision of the National Assembly.[3]
Within hours of the abduction, Rodríguez chaired a meeting of the National Defence Council, publicly condemned the US action as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and demanded the “immediate release” of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.[4] In an address broadcast on state television VTV, Rodríguez said:
"An attack of this nature undoubtedly has a Zionist tinge... the defence decree is now activated, all of Venezuela is mobilised. There is only one President in this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro Moros."[5]
Oath of Office
On 5 January 2026, Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Acting President of Venezuela:
“I come here as Executive Vice President to the Constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, to take the oath of office.
"I come with sorrow for the suffering inflicted upon the Venezuelan people following an illegitimate military aggression against our homeland.
"I come with sorrow for the kidnapping of two heroes held hostage in the United States of America: President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady, Cilia Flores.
"I come with sorrow, but I must also say that I come with honour to swear in the name of all Venezuelans, I swear by our Liberator, Simón Bolívar, who is the guide and historical beacon for the future of Venezuela, whose liberating blood runs through the veins of all Venezuelans.
"I swear by Commander Hugo Chávez, who gave life to millions of Venezuelans and restored their dignity as citizens.
"I swear by Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, and in his eyes, I swear by the children of Venezuela, by the girls of Venezuela, by our youth, to guarantee a future for our children. I swear by my mother, by my brother Jorge, by my nephews, by my family.
"I swear on my honour that I will not rest my arm nor my soul until I see Venezuela fulfil its rightful destiny, on the pedestal of historical honour that it deserves as a free, sovereign, and independent nation.
"I swear by the people of Venezuela that I will not rest for a single minute until I guarantee the peace of the Republic, the spiritual tranquility of our people, and the economic and social well-being of our people.
"And I swear on the foundation laid by our Liberator Father in his speech at Angostura, to guarantee a government that brings social happiness, political stability, and political security.
"I swear by Bolívar, I swear by our liberators, I swear by our liberator, and I swear by our brothers and sisters who accompany us and who must join us as one people, from all political sectors of Venezuela, from all social and economic sectors, that we swear as one country to move Venezuela forward in these terrible hours of threats against the stability and peace of the nation.
Previously, Delcy Rodríguez was Minister of Popular Power for Communication and Information of Venezuela from 2013[7] to 2014, Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2017[8] and President of the Constitutional Assembly of Venezuela from 4 August 2017 to 14 June 2018.
Petition to Trump
On 9 February 2019, Delcy Rodriguez called on opposition leader and self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaidó to reconsider his course of action and stop "the madness of calling for an invasion."
"Reflect and place yourself on the right side of history," Rodriguez said, a day after Guaido said he would not rule out authorising the United States to launch a military intervention to oust President Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez made the statements amid a government-backed signature drive to show that most Venezuelans do not support foreign intervention in their country, as the opposition claims. In Caracas' central Bolivar Square, Rodriguez signed the petition, which appeals to US President Donald Trump to respect Venezuelan sovereignty and lift the crippling economic sanctions.
Rodriguez also criticised the country's opposition-controlled National Assembly for debating whether to "authorise" a foreign military incursion in Venezuela.
"There is no country in the world where the supposed parliament advocates foreign military intervention in the country," said Rodriguez. "It's outrageous."
"The Venezuelan people have given very clear signals of what they want: they want peace, they want tranquility (and) to continue to be governed by the Bolivarian Revolution," said Rodriguez, referring to the ruling socialist party's reform movement.
With Washington's collaboration, the opposition has arranged for "US humanitarian aid" to be delivered to the Colombian border, but Venezuelan officials have blocked the move, suspecting "it is a pretext to invade Venezuela," said Rodriguez.[9]
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