La Presidenta

On January 5, 2026, Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president of Venezuela, two days after President Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. troops and taken to the United States to face criminal charges. Her succession followed years of political advancement that have made her one of the most powerful figures in the country. Vice president since 2018, Rodríguez is a close ally of Maduro and a committed adherent of Chavismo, a populist movement created by Hugo Chávez.

Rodríguez’s prominent presence within Chauvista politics comes from her upbringing in a political family. Born on May 18, 1969 in Caracas, she is the second child of Delcy Gómez and Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, who was active in the country’s socialist movement. In 1976 he was accused of kidnapping U.S. businessman William Niehous. While in police custody, Rodríguez was reportedly tortured to death. Delcy Rodríguez’s elder brother, Jorge Rodríguez, trained as a psychiatrist and later became an influential politician, now serving as the President of the National Assembly. 

After Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured on January 3, 2026, there was some confusion over Rodríguez’s role. She initially said that Maduro was Venezuela’s “only president.” However, on January 3 the country’s Supreme Court ordered her to serve as acting president, and Rodríguez, who was supported by the military, was sworn into office two days later. It is not yet clear to what degree she has solidified power over the various factions within the regime, including hardliners like Diosdado Cabello. Rodríguez will also have to balance appeasing the various groups in government and working under the shadow of the Trump administration, which is attempting to exert even greater pressure on Venezuela, particularly in its relation to Cuba.