Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in this Monday as interim president of Venezuela during a special session of the National Assembly, following the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by the United States in a military operation executed in Caracas.

Rodriguez, who was serving as executive vice president, was first in the line of succession. The Supreme Court of Justice ordered her to assume the presidency for a renewable 90-day period while the situation of the detained president, who is on trial in New York, is being resolved.

The disputed constitutional framework

Article 234 of the Constitution establishes that temporary absences of the president will be filled by the vice president for up to 90 days, renewable for an equal period. If the absence extends beyond that time, it is up to Parliament to decide whether an absolute absence is established.

The Venezuelan Constitution regulates the absolute absences of the president of the Republic, including death, resignation, removal from office decreed by the Supreme Court of Justice, permanent incapacity, abandonment of office, and popular recall. However, the current scenario—the capture of the sitting president—is not explicitly contemplated in the Constitution, which has led to exceptional interpretations and judicial decisions. The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) declared on Saturday the temporary and forced absence of Nicolas Maduro and ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to immediately assume the interim presidency of Venezuela. The ruling grants Rodriguez an initial term of 90 days, in accordance with Article 234 of the Constitution, a period that may be extended for another three months if approved by the National Assembly. Had an absolute absence been declared, the constitutional text would have required presidential elections to be called within 30 days. However,The Supreme Court avoided making a substantive ruling on the definitive nature of the absence and left that evaluation open for a later stage.

“I come with sorrow, but also with honor”

During the swearing-in ceremony, Rodriguez focused her speech on the detention of Maduro and Flores, whom she described as “heroes” and “hostages” of the U.S. government.

“I come with sorrow for the kidnapping of two heroes we have as hostages in the United States, President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. I also come with honor to swear in the name of all Venezuelans,” she said, with her right hand raised.

She asserted that she assumes the position amidst the “suffering caused to the Venezuelan people by an illegitimate military aggression against the homeland” and promised not to “rest for a minute to guarantee the peace and spiritual tranquility of the people.”

Oath before Jorge Rodriguez and references to Chavez

The ceremony took place at the Federal Legislative Palace. Rodriguez was sworn in before her brother, Jorge Rodriguez, president of the National Assembly, who presided over the session as the highest authority of Parliament.

Dressed in a green suit, the new acting president invoked the late President Hugo Chavez during her address. “I swear by Commander Hugo Chavez, who gave life to millions of Venezuelans and restored their dignity as citizens,” she stated.

Before Rodriguez's swearing-in, the National Assembly elected its leadership for the 2026-2031 term. The pro-government majority ratified Jorge Rodriguez as president of Parliament. Pedro Infante was appointed as first vice president and Grecia Colmenares as second vice president.

Rodriguez also extended an invitation to Washington to advance a bilateral cooperation agenda “oriented toward shared development,” within the framework of international law.