With Maduro held 'Hostage' as US prisoner, Delcy Rodriguez becomes Venezuela’s Interim President

Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was formally sworn in as interim president following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores by US forces. Speaking before lawmakers, Rodríguez condemned what she called an illegitimate military aggression and described Maduro and Flores as heroes held hostage in the United States. She vowed to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty, unity, and independence, invoking Simón Bolívar and calling on all political and social sectors to stand together. The swearing-in comes as Maduro appeared in a New York court, marking a dramatic escalation in the Venezuela–US crisis.