Venezuela's Supreme Court Orders Delcy Rodriguez to Serve as Interim President

The Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered on Saturday that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assume the role of acting president of the country in the absence of Nicolás Maduro, who was detained early Saturday morning in an operation by U.S. forces.

The court ruling said that Rodríguez would assume "the office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the Nation."

The Judges stopped short of declaring Mr. Maduro permanently absent from office, a ruling that requires holding elections within 30 days.

Ms. Rodriguez is a lawyer who graduated from the Central University of Venezuela in 1993. She also has served as a professor at the Central University of Venezuela. She was also the president of the union within the Venezuelan Association of Labour Lawyers.

The interim President commenced her governmental career in 2003, joining the General Coordination of the Vice Presidency of the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela. From February to August 2006, she was the Minister for Presidential Affairs during President Hugo Chavez’s term.

In 2013, the then President Nicolas Maduro appointed her as the Minister of Popular Power for Communication and Information of Venezuela. She continued to hold this post till October 2014.

In December 2014, she was appointed as the Minister of Popular Power for Foreign Relations also known as Chancellor. Ms. Rodriguez became the first woman to hold this position in Venezuela.

In June 2016, during the commemoration of the 195th anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo, President Nicolás Maduro awarded Ms. Rodríguez the Military Order of National Defence, Commander Degree, First Class.

In June 2017, Ms. Rodriguez resigned as Chancellor to stand as a candidate in the National Constituent Assembly elections.

On June 14, 2018 Mr. Maduro appointed Ms. Rodriguez as the Vice-President of Venezuela succeeding Tareck El Aissam.

On September 10, 2020, Ms. Rodriguez was appointed as the Minister of Popular Power for Economy and Finance.

The interim President Delcy Rodriguez has been sanctioned by several countries and was banned from entering neighbouring Colombia.