> At a Glance
> – Venezuelan official Delcy Rodríguez, 56, is now interim leader after Nicolás Maduro was captured and indicted in the U.S.
> – President Donald Trump says she was “sworn in,” yet she still calls Maduro the “only president”
> – Rodríguez faces U.S. sanctions but no criminal charges; Trump warns she must “do what’s right” or pay a “very big price”
> – Why it matters: Venezuela’s political future and U.S.-Venezuela relations hinge on whether Rodríguez can consolidate military and factional support
With Nicolás Maduro in U.S. custody on narco-terrorism charges, Delcy Rodríguez has stepped into Venezuela’s leadership vacuum, triggering a tense diplomatic standoff and uncertainty at home.
From Marxist Legacy to Presidential Palace
Rodríguez was born in Caracas on May 18, 1969, daughter of Marxist guerrilla Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, co-founder of the Socialist League. Her father died at 34 in police custody after arrest for the 1976 kidnapping of American businessman William F. Niehous, an event she cites as fuel for her revolutionary path.
She studied law at Central University of Venezuela (1993), completed labor-law coursework in Paris, and social-science study in London before entering politics in the early 2000s.
A Rapid Rise Through Chavismo
Rodríguez’s career milestones include:
- Communications & Information Minister – 2013
- Foreign Minister – 2014-2017
- Head of pro-Maduro Constituent Assembly
- Vice President appointed June 2018
- Finance & Oil Minister added to portfolio in recent years
Maduro once praised her as “a young woman, brave, seasoned, daughter of a martyr, revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles.”
Mixed Signals to Washington
After Maduro’s capture, President Trump told reporters:
> “She’s been sworn in… willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”
Yet Rodríguez publicly insists:
> “Maduro is Venezuela’s only president.”
Her tones oscillate:
- Saturday TV address: blasted Trump-administration “extremists”
- Sunday Instagram post: urged “balanced and respectful relationship” and proposed a cooperation agenda “within the framework of international law”
Trump’s blunt warning:
> “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.”
Key Takeaways
- Rodríguez, 56, holds interim power but lacks broad faction and military backing
- First Trump administration already sanctioned her for alleged repression; no U.S. criminal charges filed
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio has opened communication channels
- Her ability to unify Venezuela’s armed forces and political factions will determine whether her role becomes permanent or collapses under internal and external pressure
Venezuela’s next chapter depends on whether Rodríguez can balance loyalty to Maduro with demands from Washington and her own survival instincts.
