Caracas: In a bid to restore order following the stunning US military operation that led to President Nicolás Maduro’s arrest, Venezuela’s armed forces have pledged loyalty to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president.
Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López, in a televised address, endorsed the Supreme Court’s decision appointing Rodríguez interim leader for 90 days. He strongly condemned the US action as a “cowardly kidnapping” but urged citizens to return to normalcy. “I appeal to the people of Venezuela to resume all kinds of activities — economic, work, and education — in the coming days,” he said.
The military’s stance comes after US forces conducted airstrikes on Caracas and extracted Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who now face narco-terrorism charges in New York.
Reports indicate casualties among Maduro’s security detail and civilians during the operation.
While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has downplayed talks of elections, focusing on resolving legacy issues, the Venezuelan military’s support for Rodríguez signals an effort to maintain institutional continuity amid uncertainty.
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