Venezuela’s Supreme Court has directed Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez to take over as interim president following the seizure and removal of President Nicolas Maduro by the United States.
In a ruling delivered late on Saturday, the apex court said Rodríguez was to assume the responsibilities of the presidency in an acting capacity to ensure continuity of governance and the defence of the country.
The court stated that the vice-president would “assume and exercise all the attributes, duties and powers inherent to the office of President” to maintain administrative stability and safeguard national sovereignty.
It added that further deliberations would be held to determine the appropriate legal framework required to guarantee the smooth running of the state, government administration and national defence in light of what it described as the president’s forced absence.
Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump said Washington would take charge of Venezuela pending the organisation of a leadership transition.
Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump said the US would oversee the country until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” was achieved, insisting that Washington did not want a repeat of past leadership arrangements.
The US president, however, offered few specifics on how his government intended to manage a sovereign nation whose vice-president, legislature and military authorities remained in place and opposed the move.
Trump said the plan would involve the deployment of US oil companies to Venezuela, even as he noted that the embargo on Venezuelan oil remained in force and that American forces would stay on alert.
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