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Delcy Rodríguez Sworn In as Venezuelan President as Maduro Faces US Charges

Published January 5, 2026, 20:13
Delcy Rodríguez Sworn In as Venezuelan President as Maduro Faces US Charges

Delcy Rodríguez was officially sworn in as interim president of Venezuela today, while ousted President Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York court to face drug trafficking charges. The 56-year-old Rodríguez, a former vice president and oil minister, was sworn in by her brother, Jorge, president of the National Assembly, in the presence of 283 lawmakers, mostly government supporters. The opposition, particularly the faction led by María Corina Machado, a recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate, boycotted the process. Rodríguez expressed "sorrow" over the arrest of Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in the US, but also "honor" in being sworn in as president. Maduro, for his part, declared in court that he remains the legitimate president of Venezuela and that he is a "prisoner of war".