Reports on Saturday indicated that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who is seen as a potential successor to President Nicolás Maduro, is currently in Russia. Sources familiar with her movements shared this information, but Russia’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the claims as “false.”
Earlier, Rodríguez called on the United States to provide “living proof” of the Maduro couple’s safety after President Donald Trump suggested they were captured during a U.S. military operation. In an audio message on Venezuelan state television, she specifically urged the Trump administration for confirmation regarding the well-being of President Maduro and his wife.
Later, Trump posted a photo on Truth Social showing Maduro allegedly detained on the USS Iwo Jima. The image depicted him in gray sweatpants, blindfolded, and holding a water bottle. Trump mentioned that Maduro would be transported to New York thereafter.
Maduro, who rose to the presidency in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chávez, has faced increasing pressure in Venezuela. Meanwhile, Rodríguez’s brother, Jorge, who is the president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, remains in Caracas, as per three sources.
When asked about the future of Venezuela without Maduro, Trump mentioned on “Fox & Friends Weekend” that they are considering new leadership options. He expressed a desire for the U.S. to play a significant role in the transition and maintain a positive relationship with the Venezuelan people, whom he believes appreciate U.S. support, especially given their past under a dictatorship.
In a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump authorized the temporary U.S. administration of Venezuela. Experts suggest that potential successors to Maduro could include opposition leader María Colina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, alongside Edmundo González. According to Jorge Jaraisati, a Venezuelan economist, both Machado and González would establish a transitional government in Venezuela.
