The Venezuelan military recognizes Dilsley Rodriguez as the country's interim president
In a dramatic turn of events in Caracas's political landscape, Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino López announced on Sunday that the military officially recognizes Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the country's interim president. This decisive announcement comes a day after a high-profile military operation by US special forces resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, an event that has sent political shockwaves through Latin America.
Details of the constitutional transfer of power
The defense minister explained, in an official statement broadcast on state television, that this recognition was based on an emergency ruling issued by the Supreme Court late Saturday night. The ruling mandates that Rodríguez assume power for 90 days to ensure the continued functioning of state institutions and to fill the presidential vacuum created by Maduro's forced absence.
Despite acknowledging the new situation, Padrino Lopez's speech was not without a tone of condemnation, as he demanded Maduro's immediate release, describing the arrest as a violation of sovereignty, and strongly condemning the killing of a number of members of the presidential guard who fell during the operation, describing their liquidation as having been carried out "in cold blood".
Historical context and strategic importance
This move is of paramount importance given the pivotal role the military plays in Venezuela, where it is considered a "kingmaker" and the primary guarantor of stability in a country that has suffered for years from crippling political and economic crises. Padrino López has long been a close ally of Maduro, and his swift recognition of Rodríguez indicates the military's desire to avoid widespread chaos or civil war and to uphold the constitutional hierarchy, which stipulates that the vice president assumes power in the president's absence.
These developments come amid a long history of tension between Washington and Caracas, including harsh economic sanctions and mutual accusations, making direct US military intervention a historic turning point that could redraw the geopolitical map of the entire region.
Calls to resume normal life
In an attempt to reassure the Venezuelan public, which is experiencing a state of anticipation and anxiety, the Minister of Defense urged citizens not to be swayed by rumors or chaos. In his televised address, the minister said, "I call on the Venezuelan people to resume all their activities—economic, professional, and educational—in the coming days.".
Observers believe that the army's call for a return to normalcy aims to control the internal situation and prevent a complete economic collapse, at a time when the international community is awaiting the next steps of the interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez, and the extent of its ability to manage the country in this critical transitional phase.
