Delcy Rodríguez Confronts Political Crisis After U.S. Raid on Nicolás Maduro

Delcy Rodríguez, who served as Nicolás Maduro’s vice president, became Venezuela’s new leader after a U.S. military raid to capture Mr. Maduro, and now faces an immense challenge solidifying control of the government while responding to demands from President Trump. Much of Venezuela appeared in shock after the U.S.

action: streets were largely quiet, people combed through debris from airstrikes, and families gathered at the Bello Monte morgue to identify loved ones killed by the U.S. military. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said U.S. forces had killed a “large part” of Mr. Maduro’s security detail.

A senior Venezuelan official said the death count was at least 80, a combination of civilians and military, and could climb higher. Ms. Rodríguez is navigating pressure from within the Bolivarian movement—whose identity includes strong opposition to the United States—and from abroad.

She called the seizure of Mr. Maduro a “barbarity” and described the intervention as “without a doubt, Zionist in character,” comments that some in Washington have signaled they might overlook, according to Marco Rubio, the American secretary of state. Mr. Rubio also said the United States would maintain its blockade on sanctioned oil tankers until Ms.

Key Topics

World, Delcy Rodríguez, Nicolás Maduro, Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela, U.s. Raid