Delcy Rodríguez

Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez (born 18 May 1969) is a Venezuelan lawyer, diplomat, and politician who has served as the acting president of Venezuela since 3 January 2026, after the United States captured and de facto removed President Nicolás Maduro from power. Rodríguez was formally sworn in two days later. She was the vice president of Venezuela from 2018 to 2026. Rodríguez also held several positions under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro: she was Minister of Popular Power for Communication and Information of Venezuela from 2013 to 2014, Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2017, President of the Constituent Assembly of Venezuela from 2017 to 2018, head of Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) from 2018, and Minister of Petroleum since 2024.

Rodríguez is a member of the national leadership of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. The European Union, the United States, and Canada have placed sanctions on her due to claimed human rights violations and her role in the political crisis in the country. Her vice-presidency was disputed between 2019 and 2023. She managed to stabilize the Venezuelan economy after years of crisis and increase the country's oil production despite tougher US sanctions.

On 3 January 2026, Maduro was captured by the United States in Operation Absolute Resolve, leaving Rodríguez as acting president of the country but making her future role in the government administration unclear. She later appeared on state television, where she said that Maduro was Venezuela's only president. Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice ordered Rodríguez to become acting president. She is the first woman to perform the duties associated with the president of Venezuela.