Friday, July 3rd 2026 - 23:29 UTC
Maduro's capture led to a reconfiguration of power headed by Rodríguez and her brother Jorge
Six months after the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro by the United States, Venezuela faces an institutional crossroads: the 180-day interim mandate of acting President Delcy Rodríguez —granted after Maduro's removal in January— was set to expire on Friday, with no clarity on what would come next. The uncertainty is compounded by the June 24 twin earthquake, which left more than 2,500 dead according to the official toll and has become the government's biggest test of competence.
Venezuela's Constitution establishes that a president's absence be filled by the vice presidency —the post Rodríguez held— for up to 90 days, extendable by another 90 by the National Assembly, controlled by her party, which can call elections if it declares the vacancy permanent. Several trade-union organizations called protests for Friday over what they consider a “usurpation” of power. Meanwhile, Rodríguez firmly defended her handling of the emergency and rejected accusations of a slow response, holding that the deployment was “immediate” and that any delays were due to roads being blocked by rubble.
