Venezuela’s political landscape entered a critical phase as Acting President Delcy Rodriguez presided over an emergency cabinet assembly on Sunday, marking the first such gathering since the dramatic capture of President Nicolas Maduro by United States authorities. The high-stakes meeting, convened merely one day after the nation’s Supreme Tribunal formally mandated Rodriguez to assume interim presidential duties, represents a pivotal moment in Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis.
Official state television broadcasts depicted Rodriguez flanked by key governmental figures including Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during the council of ministers meeting at the Vice Presidency headquarters in Caracas. The visual symbolism of unity among Maduro’s closest allies served as a powerful message to both domestic and international observers.
The administration characterized the emergency session as addressing “strategic lines framed in the ‘state of external commotion’”—a special decree previously enacted by the Venezuelan government to respond to extraordinary circumstances. This legal framework provides the interim government with expanded authority to navigate the complex geopolitical situation arising from Maduro’s detention.
In a parallel development demonstrating the government’s coordinated response, Rodriguez announced the establishment of a specialized committee dedicated exclusively to securing Maduro’s release. This move signals Caracas’ intention to pursue diplomatic and legal channels to challenge what Venezuelan officials have characterized as an unlawful international intervention in their sovereign affairs.
The convergence of military, judicial, and political leadership surrounding Rodriguez suggests a consolidation of power within Maduro’s political circle, aimed at projecting stability and continuity despite the unprecedented challenge to Venezuela’s leadership structure.