Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, 56 years old and born in Caracas, assumed the interim presidency of Venezuela this Monday after the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), aligned with Chavismo, declared the “forced absence” of Nicolás Maduro. The Bolivarian leader was captured on January 3, 2026 by US special forces in an operation that transferred him to New York with his wife, Cilia Flores, to face charges for narcoterrorism and drug trafficking.
The TSJ ruling appointed Rodríguez as acting president for an initial period of 90 days, extendable, with the immediate support of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) and the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling party. During the swearing-in, broadcast on the national network, Rodríguez declared in an emotional voice: “I come with pain for the kidnapping of two heroes that we are holding hostage in the United States.” He swore loyalty “for Maduro and for Chávez”, evoking the historical line of the revolutionary process.
Daughter of Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, founder of the Socialist League murdered in police custody in 1976 during the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez, Delcy grew up in an environment of leftist militancy. Lawyer graduated from the Central University of Venezuela, she completed postgraduate studies in Labor Law in Paris. Her entry into active politics came from the hand of Hugo Chávez: in 2006 she was appointed Minister of the Office of the Presidency and then held the Communication and Information portfolio.
His international profile was consolidated as chancellor between 2014 and 2017, a period in which he stood out for his anti-imperialist rhetoric and direct confrontations with US officials. Under Nicolás Maduro she rose quickly: in 2018 she was named executive vice president, a position she combined with the portfolios of Economy and Finance and, later, Oil. He is part of the hard core of Chavista power along with his brother Jorge Rodríguez, current president of the National Assembly.
Sanctioned by the United States and the European Union since 2017 for her role in repression and democratic deterioration, Rodríguez has been one of the most visible figures in defending the government against external pressures. His inauguration opens a chapter of uncertainty: while he denounces Maduro’s capture as an “imperialist aggression,” he extended a surprise invitation to Washington to establish a “joint cooperation agenda.” At the same time, Donald Trump demands unrestricted access to Venezuelan oil resources under threat of new measures.
In a polarized country with an economy in ruins, Delcy Rodríguez becomes the pivotal figure to try to guarantee the continuity of Chavismo. Their challenge will be to maintain internal cohesion, contain possible dissent in the FANB and navigate the pressures of allies such as Russia, China and Iran in the face of the US offensive. For the first time, a woman leads the Venezuelan Executive, in one of the most critical moments in the country’s recent history.
