After the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States, Delcy Rodriguez, who was previously the vice-president, has taken power. Venezuela's Supreme Court has appointed her as the interim president.
We present some facts about the 56-year-old politician.
Delcy Rodriguez was born on May 18, 1969, in Caracas. She is the daughter of Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, a leftist partisan fighter who founded the revolutionary "Liga Socialista" party in the 1970s.
Delcy Rodriguez is a lawyer and is known as a principled socialist as well as a loyal supporter of Maduro.
Key figure in economic policy
During Maduro's era, Rodriguez was not only vice-president but also served as finance and oil minister. She is considered a key figure in Venezuela's economic policy and has a significant influence on the country's weakened private sector.
From 2013 to 2014, Rodriguez was the Minister of Communication and Information, and until 2017 she was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. During this period, she played an important role in shaping a tough stance against the United States. After Venezuela was expelled from the trade bloc "Mercosur," Rodriguez attempted to forcibly enter a summit meeting held in Buenos Aires.
Strong reaction to detention
In 2017, Rodriguez led the government-backed Constituent Assembly that expanded Maduro’s powers.
After Maduro's detention, Rodriguez exhibited a combative stance and rejected US claims of control over Venezuela. She stated on state television that Venezuela will never be the colony of another state.
It should be noted that the Trump administration does not want to give power in Venezuela to Maria Corina Machado, a Nobel laureate who had de facto won elections previously. "She has no influence at all in the country!" Trump said.
Sarvan Samedoglu
