Venezuela's Military Backs Delcy Rodriguez as Acting Leader Amid Maduro's Capture by US Forces
The Venezuelan military has issued a statement recognizing Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as the country's acting leader, following Nicolas Maduro's capture by US forces on Saturday. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez endorsed a Supreme Court ruling that appointed Rodriguez as acting president for 90 days, solidifying her position in the power vacuum left by Maduro's removal.
Rodriguez, who has been next in line to the presidency since 2018, served as Maduro's vice president overseeing much of Venezuela's oil-dependent economy and intelligence service. In response to the US operation, Rodriguez described the event as "barbaric" and an "illegal and illegitimate kidnapping," demanding the immediate release of Maduro and his wife.
The move is seen as a significant development in the ongoing power struggle in Venezuela, with the US seeking to influence the country's leadership. President Trump had warned that if Rodriguez doesn't cooperate, she could face severe consequences, sparking concerns about the potential for further destabilization.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the complexities of the situation, stating that "mature statesmanship" is required to navigate the delicate diplomatic landscape. However, he reiterated that the US remains committed to its goals in Venezuela, which include addressing corruption and human rights abuses under Maduro's rule.
As Maduro and his wife face federal charges related to drug trafficking and working with terrorist organizations, Venezuelan authorities have not released an official toll on casualties from the US operation. The move has sparked widespread concern about the safety of citizens and the potential for further violence in the country.
The situation remains volatile, with Rodriguez seeking to calm ruling party supporters while leaving room for dialogue with the US. The world watches as Venezuela navigates this critical juncture, with its future hanging precariously in the balance.
The Venezuelan military has issued a statement recognizing Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as the country's acting leader, following Nicolas Maduro's capture by US forces on Saturday. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez endorsed a Supreme Court ruling that appointed Rodriguez as acting president for 90 days, solidifying her position in the power vacuum left by Maduro's removal.
Rodriguez, who has been next in line to the presidency since 2018, served as Maduro's vice president overseeing much of Venezuela's oil-dependent economy and intelligence service. In response to the US operation, Rodriguez described the event as "barbaric" and an "illegal and illegitimate kidnapping," demanding the immediate release of Maduro and his wife.
The move is seen as a significant development in the ongoing power struggle in Venezuela, with the US seeking to influence the country's leadership. President Trump had warned that if Rodriguez doesn't cooperate, she could face severe consequences, sparking concerns about the potential for further destabilization.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the complexities of the situation, stating that "mature statesmanship" is required to navigate the delicate diplomatic landscape. However, he reiterated that the US remains committed to its goals in Venezuela, which include addressing corruption and human rights abuses under Maduro's rule.
As Maduro and his wife face federal charges related to drug trafficking and working with terrorist organizations, Venezuelan authorities have not released an official toll on casualties from the US operation. The move has sparked widespread concern about the safety of citizens and the potential for further violence in the country.
The situation remains volatile, with Rodriguez seeking to calm ruling party supporters while leaving room for dialogue with the US. The world watches as Venezuela navigates this critical juncture, with its future hanging precariously in the balance.
what's goin on in venezuela rn? they're sayin delcy rodriguez is actin leader now but i'm like hold up she was just vice pres already since 2018 lol how did we get here tho? and what's the deal with maduro bein captured by us forces 
did he think he could just escape or somethin? this whole thing is super messy and i'm lowkey worried about the future of venezuela 
delcy rodriguez is like the new acting leader and im all for it 
she's been waitin for dis moment 4eva since 2018 and now shes finally gettin da chance 
she's got da experience nd da knowledg to lead venezuela through dis tough time 
lets all keep our fingers crossed dat shes able 2 bring peace nd stability back 2 da country 
! I mean, I get it, politics is cutthroat, but come on! Maduro gets caught by the US and Delcy Rodriguez is like "cool, I'll just take over"? It's all so dramatic and unpredictable 
The world is literally watching this unfold, holding its breath... it's insane 
.
the thing is, we don't even know how many people got hurt in that raid... the world is literally watching this unfold and it's super tense 
. i just hope they can find a way out of this without making things worse 
.
it's all so confusing with the us forces involved 
what's going on is just not right sadly Maduro's capture has definitely added to the uncertainty and i hope someone comes up with a peaceful solution soon 
Delcy Rodriguez is now acting leader and all, but it's weird how this happened in the first place... was there no one else available? 
the fact that trump is all up in their business and could potentially punish delcy if she doesn't cooperate just raises more questions than answers 
hope she can keep the peace and negotiate a way forward with the US, dont wanna see more bloodshed 
anyway delcy rodriguez seems like a solid choice to lead venezuela, she's been in the game for ages and knows how the system works. what's next though? is this gonna be some kind of proxy war or something? would love to see how this all plays out 
but the situation is super volatile 
she's always been seen as the real brains of the operation 
. I'm worried about the citizens, especially with all these allegations of corruption and human rights abuses 
Maduro gets kidnapped by US forces 
, Venezuela's military backs Delcy as acting leader 
, and tensions are running high 
. The world is watching, hoping that some kind of solution will emerge 
.
Can't wait to see how this all plays out... or at least that's what we'll all be saying when we've been watching this unfold for months.