International News Desk ,January 4, 2026:Caracas/New York — Venezuela’s Supreme Court has appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president following the dramatic US military operation that captured and removed President Nicolás Maduro from the country on January 3.

The court’s Constitutional Chamber ruled that Rodríguez, 56, would assume the presidency to ensure “administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the Nation” during Maduro’s forced absence. The decision comes amid ongoing US airstrikes and the extraction of Maduro, who remains in US military custody and is expected to face narco-terrorism charges in New York.

Notably, US President Donald Trump expressed support for Rodríguez prior to the court’s announcement, stating that the United States would “oversee” Venezuela to secure a “bright future” for the nation. Trump has indicated plans for American involvement in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector, citing the country’s vast reserves.

Rodríguez, a former lawyer who previously served as Minister of Economy, Finance, and Oil, has vowed resistance to foreign intervention. Venezuela has claimed that the US attack resulted in at least 40 deaths.

The developments mark a rapid escalation in the Venezuela crisis, with global reactions divided and oil markets watching closely.