Who Is Delcy Rodríguez, the Acting President of Venezuela?

On January 5, 2026, Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president of Venezuela, two days after Pres. 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 was born on May 18, 1969, in Caracas. She is the second of two children born to 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.

In 1993 Delcy Rodríguez earned a law degree from Central University of Venezuela. After studying in Europe, she embarked on a career in politics. In President Chávez’s administration (1999–2013), she held numerous posts, including vice-minister for European affairs. After Maduro, a protégé of Chávez, became president in 2013, Rodríguez began to gain prominence. She served as minister of communication and information (2013–14) before becoming the first female minister of foreign affairs (2014–17). In 2017 she was elected to the Constituent National Assembly and became its president. The following year she was appointed vice president by Maduro, who called her “a young woman, brave, seasoned, daughter of a martyr, revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles.” Her portfolio expanded as she was named minister of economy and finance in 2020 and minister of petroleum in 2024.

In late 2025 tensions mounted between Venezuela and the United States, which accused Maduro and his close associates of various crimes, including narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking. In addition, Maduro’s government faced accusations of human rights abuses and increasing authoritarianism. 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, later 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.