With former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro detained in New York, his former Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, a Maduro supporter and prominent member of the administration for over eight years, has been sworn in as the country’s acting president.
Since Maduro’s resignation, Rodríguez has struck a delicate balance, telling the United States that she seeks long-term cooperation while also telling Venezuelans that she opposes Maduro’s capture as a kidnapping.
As his vice president in 2024, she defended the election results, which were declared fraudulent by foreign observers. CBS News was in Caracas with opposition leader María Corina Machado when Maduro proclaimed triumph.
This is a terrible travesty of our popular will, and everyone knows it, Machado stated in July, after the election. Maduro threatened to arrest Machado shortly after, and she went into hiding. But in October, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, she seemed optimistic.
Machado told CBS News that the Venezuelan people have already called for regime change.
Machado was rescued from Venezuela in a dramatic and covert operation in December and flown to Norway to reunite with her family and receive her Nobel Prize.
However, Venezuela’s political future is unclear. President Trump believes the United States is in control, adding that, while he has not communicated with Rodríguez directly, she is being cooperative. He told The Atlantic on Sunday that if she does not do the right thing, she will pay a very high price, most likely greater than Maduro.
When questioned why Machado was not chosen to be in charge, Mr. Trump stated on Saturday that she lacks the support and respect of the Venezuelan people necessary to lead them.
Mr. Trump has indicated the possibility of elections in Venezuela further down the road. Some, like Republican Representative Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, think Machado can win over Venezuelans. Diaz-Balart told CBS News that she would most likely win an election since she has a history of contesting the government.
Source: CBS News.
