Delcy Rodríguez, who served as vice president to Nicolas Maduro and has vowed to work with the Trump administration, was sworn in as Venezuela's interim president on Monday afternoon (local time) at the National Assembly building. The oath of office was administered by her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, during a special session of parliament.
Her swearing-in comes after Nicolas Maduro was captured by the United States, leading to a sudden leadership transition in the country.
'I come with sorrow': Delcy Rodriguez
As per CNN, Rodriguez said she assumed the role with a heavy heart over what she described as the "kidnapping" of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
"I come with sorrow for the suffering inflicted upon the Venezuelan people following an illegitimate military aggression against our homeland," she said with her right hand up as per the news agency AP. "I come with sorrow for the kidnapping of two heroes."
Meanwhile, the ambassadors of China, Russia, and Iran, all close allies of Venezuela, were among the first foreign diplomats to congratulate Delcy Rodriguez after she was sworn in as the country's acting president.
China, Russia, and Iran have each condemned the US military operation carried out over the weekend that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his transfer to New York to face trial, CNN reported.
Who is Delcy Rodriguez?
Delcy Rodriguez was appointed the vice-president of the country in June 2018. She is currently also the finance and oil minister alongside her vice-president role. This has made her a key figure in the nation. Rodriguez was defined as a 'tiger' by Maduro for her defence of his socialist government.
Rodriguez is a 56-year-old Caracas native born on May 18, 1969. She is the daughter of left-wing guerrilla fighter Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, who founded the revolutionary Liga Socialista party in the 1970s.
She is an attorney who completed her graduation from the Universidad Central de Venezuela. She rose rapidly through the political ranks in the last 10 years or so. Rodriguez served as the Communication and Information Minister between 2013 and 2014.
She was the foreign minister from 2014 to 2017. During her tenure, she attempted to crash a Mercosur trade bloc meeting in Buenos Aires after the nation was suspended from the group.
Rodriguez was handed the oil ministry in August 2024 and has been tasked with managing the US sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry. Apart from her political career, Rodriguez is a lover of designer fashions.
Also Read: Nicolas Maduro's son on his father's US capture: 'History will tell who the traitors were'
Also Read: Toppled Venezuelan President Maduro pleads not guilty in US court, next hearing on March 17
