Overview
- The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber directed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to exercise all presidential powers as interim leader, citing an exceptional “forced absence” and its interpretation of constitutional articles to ensure continuity and national defense.
- Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a U.S. military operation and transported to the United States, with reports placing Maduro at a New York military facility after strikes in Caracas, Aragua and La Guaira.
- In a televised address flanked by senior chavista and military figures, Rodríguez demanded Maduro’s immediate release, denounced the operation as illegal, and insisted that Maduro remains Venezuela’s only president.
- President Donald Trump said his administration has been in contact with Rodríguez and quoted her as saying, “We’ll do what you need,” presenting her as a potential partner for a transition, though Rodríguez’s public statements have rejected the attack and did not confirm cooperation.
- The court did not declare an absolute vacancy, leaving open questions about any formal swearing-in and the election timetable that would follow if a vacancy were later established.