Who is Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting leader after Maduro's capture?

A long-time chavista, technocrat and trusted Maduro loyalist, Delcy Rodríguez has assumed Venezuela's presidential duties amid deep uncertainty after a US military operation

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s executive vice president, has emerged as the country’s de facto leader after President Nicolás Maduro was captured during a US military operation. Under Venezuela’s constitution, presidential powers pass to the vice president in cases of temporary or absolute absence, placing Rodríguez at the helm during one of the most volatile moments in the country’s recent history.

 

Within hours of the operation, Rodríguez chaired a meeting of the National Defence Council and publicly condemned the US action as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. “We call on the peoples of the great homeland to remain united,” she said in an address broadcast on state television VTV, demanding the “immediate release” of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

 

Who is Delcy Rodríguez?

 

Born in Caracas and trained as a lawyer at the Central University of Venezuela, Rodríguez, 56, has spent more than two decades at the core of chavismo, the left-wing political movement founded by Hugo Chávez and later led by Nicolás Maduro. According to CNN, she has held some of the most influential posts in the government, including communications minister, foreign minister, and president of the Constituent National Assembly.

 

As foreign minister between 2014 and 2017, Rodríguez became a defender of the Maduro government on the international stage, repeatedly rejecting accusations of democratic erosion and human rights abuses. José Manuel Romano, a constitutional lawyer, told CNN that Rodríguez is a “very prominent” figure who enjoys Maduro’s “full trust” and wields influence across the state apparatus, including the military. 

Delcy Rodríguez's ideology

 

The New York Times describes Rodríguez as a figure of "striking contradictions". The daughter of a Marxist guerrilla leader, she carries strong leftist credentials, yet has also cultivated ties with business elites and foreign investors.

 

As Venezuela’s economy minister, Rodríguez spearheaded market-oriented adjustments after years of economic collapse, including limited privatisation and tighter fiscal controls. These measures helped stabilise the economy ahead of the current crisis, according to the report.

 

Her pragmatic approach has not insulated her from international pressure. The United States, Canada and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Rodríguez for her role in supporting crackdowns on dissent, the New York Times reported.

 

Is Delcy Rodríguez a moderate alternative to Maduro?

 

Despite US President Donald Trump’s claim that Rodríguez had signalled willingness to work with Washington, analysts cited by CNN caution against interpreting her role as a shift towards moderation. “She is not a moderate alternative to Maduro,” said Imdat Oner, a policy analyst at the Jack D Gordon Institute.

 

For now, Rodríguez has insisted that Maduro remains Venezuela’s legitimate president. “There is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro Moros,” she said on Saturday.