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Rodríguez sworn in as interim leader as Maduro denies charges in US court
Venezuela’s vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, has been sworn in as interim president following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro by United States forces and his appearance in a New York court on drug trafficking and terrorism charges.
Rodríguez took the oath during a session of the National Assembly on Monday, amid strong criticism of the US operation that led to Maduro’s detention. She described the arrest of the former leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, as a kidnapping and said the development had caused deep pain across the country.
Her swearing-in came just hours after Maduro appeared in court in the United States, where he pleaded not guilty to four charges, including narco-terrorism and weapons-related offences.
During the hearing, he insisted he remained Venezuela’s legitimate president and described himself as a prisoner of war before being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
The developments triggered an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, where Venezuela accused the US of carrying out an unlawful armed attack.
The US, however, defended the operation, describing it as a lawful law enforcement action against what it called an illegitimate leader and a fugitive from justice.
Read also: Trump Signals Possible Military Action Against Venezuela
US officials said the move was necessary to prevent Venezuela’s vast energy resources from remaining under the control of an unlawful government, while maintaining that the action was not aimed at forced regime change.
President Donald Trump later said the United States would oversee Venezuela’s transition until a stable and lawful government is in place, though senior lawmakers in Washington raised concerns about the lack of clarity surrounding the plan.
In Caracas, thousands of supporters gathered outside the National Assembly to show solidarity with Maduro and Rodríguez. Addressing lawmakers after her inauguration, Rodríguez promised to safeguard national peace and stability, despite what she described as foreign military aggression.
She also signalled a willingness to engage with the United States under international law, saying her government was open to cooperation centred on shared development.
Maduro’s son addressed the assembly to express support for his parents and pledged loyalty to Rodríguez, saying the family would return to Venezuela.
The next hearing in Maduro’s case is scheduled for March 17.
