In a dramatic constitutional response to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice has mandated Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to immediately assume the powers of acting head of state. The judicial order, announced late Saturday by Magistrate Tania D’Amelio through national broadcast networks, represents a significant escalation in the ongoing political crisis.
The court’s ruling explicitly condemns what it characterizes as an unlawful military incursion by United States forces that resulted in Maduro’s apprehension and subsequent transfer to New York alongside his wife, Cilia Flores. The judicial body declared these actions constitute a flagrant violation of both Venezuelan constitutional law and international statutes, including the United Nations Charter.
In its strongly-worded decision, the court asserted that the operation appears designed to facilitate foreign appropriation of Venezuela’s strategic natural resources. The judiciary has called for national unity in defending Venezuelan sovereignty while appealing for regional solidarity to preserve stability throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Rodríguez, who concurrently serves as the nation’s Oil Minister, now faces the formidable challenge of leading a government in crisis while navigating complex international tensions. The political transition occurs against the backdrop of widespread international concern regarding the unprecedented cross-border military operation that precipitated this constitutional succession.