Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Venezuela’s armed forces have recognized Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the country’s acting president following the dramatic removal of President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. operation that has plunged the country into political uncertainty.
In a televised address on Sunday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced the military’s support for a Supreme Court ruling appointing Rodríguez as interim president for a 90-day period. His statement marked the clearest signal yet that the armed forces, long considered the key power broker in Venezuelan politics, are backing a transitional arrangement in the wake of Maduro’s sudden ouster.
Padrino’s remarks came less than two days after U.S. forces carried out strikes in Caracas and extracted Maduro and his wife from the country to face trial. The operation, which has not yet been fully detailed by either Washington or Caracas, has left Venezuela reeling and raised questions about the balance of power during the interim period.
While denouncing the operation as a “cowardly kidnapping,” Padrino also sought to project stability, urging Venezuelans to return to their daily routines. “I call on the people of Venezuela to resume their activities of all kinds, economic, work and education, in the coming days,” he said. “The homeland must follow its constitutional course.”
According to Padrino, several of Maduro’s bodyguards, as well as military personnel and civilians, were killed during the operation, which he described as having taken place “in cold blood.” Venezuelan authorities have not yet released an official casualty toll, and independent verification remains limited.
The endorsement of Rodríguez follows indications from U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington views her as a figure it could potentially engage with during a transition. Rodríguez, a long-time ally of Maduro and a prominent figure within the ruling political establishment, now finds herself at the center of a delicate effort to maintain internal order while navigating intense international pressure.
On the streets of Caracas, the atmosphere on Sunday was tense but subdued. Many businesses remained closed, public spaces were largely empty, and only modest queues were reported at markets and pharmacies, reflecting public caution amid the rapidly evolving situation.
The Supreme Court’s decision to appoint Rodríguez for a limited 90-day term suggests an attempt to frame the transition within existing constitutional structures, at least formally. However, questions remain over how much authority the interim leadership will wield, how long the arrangement will last, and whether it will lead to broader political negotiations or elections.
For now, the military’s public alignment with Rodríguez appears aimed at preventing further instability and signaling continuity of state institutions. Whether that stance will hold, and how Venezuelans and the international community respond in the coming weeks, is likely to shape the country’s political trajectory in the aftermath of one of the most dramatic episodes in its modern history.
