Venezuela was plunged into political uncertainty on Saturday after the country’s Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to step in as acting president following the dramatic capture of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in an early-morning operation.
In a ruling by its Constitutional Chamber, the court said Rodríguez would temporarily take over the presidency to keep the government running and safeguard the country’s defence. The justices said they would continue to examine the situation to decide how best to manage the state, maintain governance, and protect Venezuela’s sovereignty while Maduro remains absent.
Rodríguez, speaking earlier in a nationally televised address, described Maduro’s arrest as an attack on Venezuela and suggested foreign involvement. She partly blamed Israel, saying the operation carried what she called “Zionist undertones,” and told a meeting of the National Defence Council that the incident had shocked governments around the world.
In the United States, the White House fuelled global attention by sharing video footage of Maduro being escorted through a Drug Enforcement Administration building in New York. The post, captioned “Perp walked,” quickly spread online as events unfolded.
Amid the fast-moving developments, the U.S. State Department renewed its strongest travel warning for Venezuela, urging Americans not to visit the country under any circumstances. In a January 3 security alert, U.S. officials warned that conditions inside Venezuela remain unstable and potentially dangerous.
The U.S. Embassy, which operates from Bogotá after suspending operations in Caracas in 2019, said there are currently no commercial flights in or out of Venezuela. It advised U.S. citizens still in the country to remain cautious, stay alert, and keep multiple lines of communication open with contacts abroad.
U.S. authorities cited serious risks including arbitrary detention, torture in custody, kidnapping, violent crime, civil unrest, terrorism, and a weak health system. With all consular services suspended, the State Department said it is unable to provide emergency assistance to Americans in Venezuela and again urged citizens to avoid travel and sign up for security updates through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.
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