Venezuela’s Supreme Court has appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president following the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation in Caracas, officials said, SANA reports.
The court’s Constitutional Chamber, led by Tania D’Amelio, ruled that Rodríguez will assume all powers of the presidency to ensure continuity of government and national security. The judges did not declare Maduro permanently removed, a move that would have triggered early elections within 30 days.
Rodríguez previously called for the immediate release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, saying that Maduro remains Venezuela’s legitimate president. She also reported the deployment of military and security forces in response to the U.S. operation.
International reactions have been swift. Brazil’s acting foreign minister, Maria Laura da Rocha, said her country recognizes Rodríguez as Venezuela’s head of state in Maduro’s absence. Brazil has deployed thousands of troops along its border with Venezuela but said the situation in the northern state of Roraima remains stable.
China condemned Maduro’s detention, calling it a “blatant violation of international law” and urged the United States to release him and his wife immediately.
The United Nations Security Council announced it will hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the U.S. military operation, following a request from Venezuela relayed by Colombia, which currently holds a non-permanent seat on the council.
U.S. authorities said Maduro and his wife were placed in a detention facility in Brooklyn, New York, ahead of a federal court appearance in Manhattan. They are expected to face charges related to drugs and weapons. Maduro was flown to the U.S. from a military base north of New York shortly after arriving in the country.
