Who is Delcy Rodriguez and why does Donald Trump claim she replaced Nicolas Maduro?

Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has stepped into the centre of an international political storm after the dramatic capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US forces.

While Washington claimed a change at the top was already underway, Rodriguez publicly rejected that narrative, insisting that Maduro remains Venezuela's only legitimate president.

Her statement came shortly after US President Donald Trump asserted that Rodríguez had been "sworn in" and was prepared to cooperate with Washington, adding that the United States would be running Venezuela in the immediate future. Those remarks were swiftly contradicted by Rodríguez in a televised address from Caracas.

Public defiance after Trump's claim

Rodríguez appeared on state television on Saturday, countering reports that placed her outside the country and directly disputing Trump's version of events. She said Nicolas Maduro continued to be Venezuela's sole president despite his capture, pushing back against assertions of a transition of power.

Trump, speaking earlier, claimed Rodriguez had taken over and was "willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again." The conflicting statements deepened uncertainty over who is effectively in control in Caracas.

A trusted loyalist in Maduro's inner circle

Often described by Maduro as a "tiger," Rodríguez has long been one of the most uncompromising defenders of his socialist government. She works closely with her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, who currently heads the national assembly, forming a powerful political partnership at the heart of the ruling establishment.

Born in Caracas on May 18, 1969, Rodriguez is the daughter of Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, a left-wing guerrilla fighter who founded the Liga Socialista party in the 1970s. Her revolutionary lineage has been repeatedly highlighted by Maduro as a mark of her political credentials.

From law and diplomacy to economic control

An attorney by training, Rodríguez graduated from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and rose rapidly through government ranks over the past decade. She served as minister of communication and information between 2013 and 2014 before becoming foreign minister from 2014 to 2017.

During her time as foreign minister, she made headlines for attempting to force her way into a Mercosur meeting in Buenos Aires after Venezuela had been suspended from the bloc. In 2017, she went on to lead the pro-government Constituent Assembly that significantly expanded Maduro's powers.

Economic power and sanctions challenge

Rodriguez was appointed vice president in June 2018, with Maduro announcing the move on X and praising her as "a young woman, brave, seasoned, daughter of a martyr, revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles." Over time, she also took on the crucial finance and oil portfolios, giving her sweeping authority over Venezuela's struggling economy.

Holding the roles of finance and oil minister alongside the vice presidency, she pursued more orthodox economic measures in an effort to rein in hyperinflation and manage relations with a weakened private sector. In August 2024, Maduro formally added the oil ministry to her responsibilities, tasking her with navigating tightening US sanctions on Venezuela's most vital industry.

Amid the current crisis, Rodríguez issued an audio message broadcast on state television calling on the US government to provide proof of life for Maduro and his wife. Despite her public appearances, her precise movements remain unclear, adding another layer of intrigue to an already volatile political moment.