Venezuela acting president Delcy Rodríguez remains in post beyond 90-day limit

Delcy Rodríguez remained Venezuela’s acting president after the 90-day constitutional limit expired, following the US capture of Nicolás Maduro in January. A court order still recognises Maduro as president, citing forced absence. The National Assembly has not held a public vote to extend Rodríguez’s interim term, leaving the timeline uncertain.

Delcy Rodríguez stayed on as Venezuela’s acting president on Monday, after a 90-day court limit expired. Lawmakers had not held a public vote to extend the mandate past Friday’s deadline. The next steps remained uncertain, even though Rodríguez’s party controlled the National Assembly.

A court order said Nicolás Maduro remained Venezuela’s official president despite being absent by force. The order described the absence as the result of a kidnapping. It said this made it temporarily impossible for Maduro to carry out presidential duties.

Delcy Rodríguez acting president and the 90-day limit

The Supreme Tribunal of Justice cited a constitutional article on temporary absences. It said the vice president should fill in for up to 90 days. Rodríguez held that vice president role before the interim appointment. The constitution also allowed the National Assembly to extend the interim period once.

That extension could last another 90 days under the same rules. The National Assembly could also call a snap election. This could happen if lawmakers declared the presidency permanently vacant. No public vote was reported before the initial deadline passed.

Delcy Rodríguez acting president and government response

The government’s press office did not answer requests for comment. Ronal Rodríguez, from the Venezuela Observatory at Colombia’s Universidad del Rosario, noted past patterns. Ronal Rodríguez said the government has relied on legal readings to keep power. Ronal Rodríguez expected a similar approach now.

"They will most likely try to come up with some kind of explanation, such as it being Good Friday or the way the days were counted, but in the end, everything will be validated by a ruling from the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.\"

Delcy Rodríguez acting president after Nicolás Maduro’s capture

Maduro and Cilia Flores were captured on Jan. 3 in Caracas. Both were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Maduro and Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty. Rodríguez and other ruling party leaders demanded their release from custody.

Ruling party figures described the detention as a kidnapping. Billboards and murals across Caracas repeated the same demand. The court order also used the term kidnapping to explain Maduro’s forced absence. This language shaped the official basis for the interim appointment.

Delcy Rodríguez acting president and US policy shift

The Trump administration worked with Rodríguez after Maduro’s removal. It did not shift support to Venezuela’s political opposition. Rodríguez led cooperation on a phased plan aimed at ending Venezuela’s crisis. Rodríguez also promoted investment and changed rules for the energy sector.

Rodríguez pitched the oil-rich country to international investors. Rodríguez opened the energy sector to private capital and international arbitration. Rodríguez also replaced senior officials, including the defence minister and the attorney general. US President Donald Trump publicly praised Rodríguez’s work.

Delcy Rodríguez acting president and sanctions changes

The US Treasury Department lifted sanctions on Rodríguez last week. The US State Department recognised Rodríguez last month as the sole Head of State of Venezuela. The United States had stopped recognising Maduro in 2019. That followed a re-election contest widely seen as unfair.

Opposition parties and candidates were barred from participating in that vote. Under the court order, Maduro still held the presidency in name. Yet Rodríguez continued to act in the role beyond the set limit. With no public Assembly vote reported, the timeline for change stayed unclear.

With inputs from PTI