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After Maduro's capture, Delcy Rodríguez holds a contested interim presidency

Sworn in under Article 233 following the January US raid, she extends a hand to Trump while insisting Maduro is still the only president

Conflicts·Leaders· stalemate Who Decides·How Wars Actually End ·11 takes · ·rbtfl upd Jun 24, 2026
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The split

The same story, as told by newsrooms in different countries. Their words, attributed and linked.

Venezuela

Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela

“Vice-President Rodríguez is sworn before the National Assembly as acting president under Article 233.”

unlabelledread the original ↗

Venezuela

Efecto Cocuyo

“Rodríguez holds the title while Cabello commands the security apparatus; power is contested, not settled.”

independent Venezuelan / fact-checkingread the original ↗

Qatar

Al Jazeera

“Rodríguez sworn in after Maduro's abduction; she says Maduro remains the country's only president.”

international reportageread the original ↗

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Summary

Venezuela's Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president on 5 January 2026 before the National Assembly, the first woman to exercise the office (Who Decides). She took power under Article 233 after the US struck Caracas on 3 January, detained President Nicolás Maduro and transferred him to New York (How Wars Actually End). Rodríguez insists "there is only one president … Nicolás Maduro," framing the arrangement as a vacancy, not a handover. Her authority is contested internally: Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello commands much of the security apparatus and pro-government armed groups, while opposition figure María Corina Machado's claim to lead is dismissed by Washington. Maduro's son backed Rodríguez even as she signalled openness to Trump. Power in Caracas is divided, not resolved.

By the numbers

  • 3 Jan 2026, US strikes on Caracas and Maduro's capture.
  • 5 Jan 2026, Rodríguez sworn in as acting president.
  • Article 233, constitutional clause invoked for the succession.
  • 1st, woman to exercise Venezuela's presidency.
  • 2, rival power centres inside the state (Rodríguez vs Cabello).

Why it matters

A captured president, a titular successor who denies she has succeeded, an interior minister with the guns and a US-rejected opposition leave Venezuela without a settled executive. The standoff governs oil flows, regional migration and whether Washington's intervention yields a transition or prolonged factional rule.

What to watch

  • Whether Cabello moves against Rodríguez or they hold an uneasy truce.
  • US terms toward Caracas and Maduro's legal fate in New York.
  • Any move toward elections, negotiation, or further security operations.

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