Venezuela in Turmoil: Maduro Captured, Acting President Sworn In Amid Opposition Push for Elections

Caracas, Venezuela – Nicolás Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan president, and his wife, Cilia Flores, remain in US custody in New York following a surprise early-morning operation by American Delta Force operatives last week. The couple faces drug and weapons charges to which they have pleaded not guilty.

President Donald Trump declared that the United States now “runs” the oil-rich South American country, while Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was swiftly sworn in as acting president, signaling continuity of the Chavismo movement that has dominated Venezuelan politics for decades.

Despite the dramatic capture, Venezuela’s government infrastructure shows little disruption. Key figures from Maduro’s administration, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, continue their official duties, even after US authorities placed $25 million and $15 million bounties on their heads.

“There are no external agents governing Venezuela. We are here, governing our people. The Government of Venezuela runs this country, no one else,” Rodríguez said during a televised address, emphasizing the continuity of local authority.

The US administration views Rodríguez as a more pragmatic leader than Maduro and believes she could provide a working relationship with Washington, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leaders, many in exile, are calling for new elections. Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, a prominent opposition figure and vocal Trump supporter, criticized Rodríguez as “one of the main architects of torture, persecution, corruption, and narcotrafficking” and has vowed to return to Venezuela to reclaim power.

Machado insists that Venezuela’s last presidential election in July 2024 was fraudulent, despite the government-aligned National Electoral Council declaring Maduro the winner. Independent analyses at the time indicated statistical inconsistencies in the official vote counts.

President Trump confirmed he will meet with Machado in Washington next week, hinting at possible involvement for her in Venezuela’s political transition, though details remain unclear.

As the country grapples with this unprecedented political upheaval, Venezuelans both inside and outside the nation are left with a mix of hope and uncertainty over the next chapter for their nation.