State of emergency declared Delcy Rodríguez takes power in Venezuela after Maduro's arrest
Following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro by US elite troops, Venezuela is at a political turning point: interim President Delcy Rodríguez takes power, imposes a state of emergency - and at the same time cautiously opens the door to dialog with Washington.
06.01.2026, 05:27
06.01.2026, 06:44
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- US troops have captured Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, his deputy Delcy Rodríguez has taken power and declared a state of emergency.
- There were exchanges of fire in Caracas and Maduro described himself as kidnapped in the USA.
- Russia, China and other states criticized the US operation as being in violation of international law, while Rodríguez signalled a willingness to talk.
Following the capture of Venezuelan head of state Nicolás Maduro by US elite troops, his loyal successor is consolidating her power in the country.
As one of her first official acts, Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in as acting president, declared a state of emergency and ordered the police to hunt down collaborators. According to the Venezuelan journalists' association SNRP, 14 journalists were arrested but later released.
The decree announcing the state of emergency stated that all police departments should search for people who supported the attack by the United States. According to media reports, the US military had local support during the commando operation at the weekend, in which President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured. Among other things, a person in Maduro's immediate circle is said to have constantly transmitted information about his current whereabouts.
Maduro and his wife were brought before a court in New York on Monday, where they have to answer for alleged drug offenses. At his first hearing, Maduro declared in prison garb, according to the translator: "I am not guilty". He had been "kidnapped", he said, adding: "I am a decent person, I am still the president of my country". The next court hearing is scheduled for March 17.
Shots fired in the government district in Caracas
According to reports on social media, there were heavy exchanges of gunfire near the presidential palace in the capital Caracas during the night, although the background to this initially remained unclear. Shots could be heard in videos and armored vehicles of the security forces could be seen in the streets. There are a number of armed groups in Venezuela, including criminal organizations and paramilitaries close to the government, the so-called colectivos. Gun violence is not that uncommon in some parts of Caracas.
Maduro's successor Rodríguez, meanwhile, took her oath of office in Venezuela's National Assembly. "I will not rest until peace and tranquillity are guaranteed for the republic," said the 56-year-old as she was sworn in by her brother, parliamentary speaker Jorge Rodríguez. The Supreme Court had already instructed the former vice president to temporarily assume the duties of the head of state at the weekend.
The government in Venezuela continues to regard Maduro as the legitimate president. According to the Venezuelan constitution, in the event of the president's permanent absence, the vice-president takes over and calls new elections within 30 days. It is unclear whether the new leadership considers the situation to be a permanent absence.
According to US President Donald Trump, there will be no new election in the next 30 days. "We have to get the country back in order first. You can't hold elections," he told NBC News.
Criticism of US actions in the UN Security Council
In a special session of the UN Security Council, Venezuela, Russia and China called for Maduro's release and described the US actions as contrary to international law. The Russian UN ambassador called it "a harbinger of a return to an era of lawlessness and US dominance through violence, chaos and arbitrariness". The UK, EU-affiliated states, Panama and Chile declared that neither Maduro as president nor the US attack were legitimate. They called for a peaceful transition to a democratic system of government led by Venezuelan society.
Rodríguez holds out the prospect of cooperation with the USA
Rodríguez is considered one of the most loyal figures in Maduro's circle of power. As Foreign Minister (2014-2017), the staunch socialist shaped the confrontational course against the USA, which she continued as Vice President. Even after the US military strike at the weekend, she initially remained unbending. The powerful military publicly backed her. She later expressed her willingness to cooperate with the USA. "Our people and our region deserve peace and dialog, not war," she wrote to Trump.
According to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, almost 200 US troops were involved in the US attack in Caracas. He did not say whether they were all soldiers. According to earlier reports, the FBI federal police and elite units of the armed forces were among those involved in the operation in Caracas.
