CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s military establishment has formally endorsed Delcy Rodríguez as the nation’s interim leader following the extraordinary capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces. The seismic political shift occurred after American operatives successfully extracted the ousted leftist leader to face international justice.
In a nationally televised address on Sunday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López threw the military’s substantial weight behind Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s deputy. The endorsement came in response to a Supreme Court ruling that appointed Rodríguez to serve as acting president for a 90-day period during the constitutional crisis.
Padrino López characterized Maduro’s extraction as a ‘cowardly kidnapping’ operation, alleging that several of the former president’s security detail were ‘killed in cold blood’ during the confrontation, along with Venezuelan military personnel and civilians. Venezuelan authorities have not yet released official casualty figures from the operation that shook the capital city.
The defense minister urged citizens to return to normalcy despite the political turbulence, calling for the resumption of economic, educational, and workplace activities. ‘The homeland must follow its constitutional course,’ Padrino López stated, emphasizing institutional continuity.
The streets of Caracas remained unusually quiet and largely deserted on Sunday, with many commercial establishments closed and only moderate queues forming at essential services such as pharmacies and markets. The muted public response reflected the nation’s uncertain political landscape following the dramatic events that unfolded when U.S. forces executed Operation Absolute Resolve on January 3, 2026.
The development marks a significant turning point in Venezuela’s prolonged political crisis, with the military’s endorsement providing crucial institutional support for Rodríguez’s interim administration. The move aligns with earlier indications from U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington might be willing to work with Rodríguez’s government.