Rodriguez Chairs First Emergency Cabinet Session

By Staff, Agencies

Interim President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez convened her first cabinet meeting on Monday, centering on national defense and sovereignty following the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro on January 3.

Rodriguez delivered a message from Caracas to both the United States and the international community, reaffirming Venezuela’s commitment to peace, sovereignty, and dialogue.

"Our peoples deserve peace and dialogue, not war. This has always been the principle championed by President Maduro," she said.

She emphasized the importance of establishing balanced international relations with the US, grounded in mutual respect and non-interference. “We invite Washington to cooperate in advancing shared development based on international legitimacy,” she added.

On a related note, Venezuela’s armed forces said they fully support a Supreme Court decision ordering Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume, in an acting capacity, all presidential powers, duties, and responsibilities, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

The communiqué from the Bolivarian National Armed Forces said the move follows a January 3, 2026, ruling by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, which cited the need to guarantee continuity of government and national defense.

The statement opened by condemning what it described as the “cowardly abduction” of Venezuela’s constitutional president, reporting that members of Maduro’s security detail, soldiers, and civilians were killed during the operation.

The same day, on Saturday, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume and exercise, in an acting capacity, all powers and duties of the presidency to ensure administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation.

The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice issued the ruling after the US attack, saying the president’s forced absence amounted to a temporary inability to fulfill his constitutional duties.