Venezuelan Acting President Pledges to Bring Back Maduro and His Wife
Delcy Rodríguez vows unwavering effort to secure return of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores amid nationwide calls for unity and stability.
Caracas, Jan 11: Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, pledged on Saturday to realise the return of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, after they were seized by the United States on January 3, government and state media reported.
Addressing a community gathering in Miranda state, Rodríguez sought to dispel doubts about the country’s leadership, saying there was “no uncertainty” about the governing programme and affirming that the Venezuelan people remain in charge under Maduro’s government.
“There is no uncertainty here. The Venezuelan people are in charge, and there is a government, that of President Nicolás Maduro,” she said, calling for national unity to safeguard peace, stability and the nation’s future. Rodríguez vowed she would not rest “for a single minute” until both Maduro and Flores return to Venezuela.
Reflecting on her past year alongside Maduro, Rodríguez noted that she was sworn in with him at the start of his third term and now pledged to work for his freedom. She stressed that unity would be pivotal in what she described as the effort to “rescue” Maduro and reaffirmed that her government remains committed to implementing the seven lines of action outlined by the president.
The comments come after U.S. forces carried out military strikes in Caracas and other Venezuelan cities on January 3, an operation that led to the capture of Maduro and Flores. The move has drawn international condemnation and raised concerns about regional stability and respect for sovereignty.
U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners — a development he attributed to direct U.S. action, and used to underscore his administration’s stance on the crisis.
Maduro and Flores are now in U.S. custody, where they have appeared in federal court and entered not-guilty pleas to charges brought against them, including allegations of narcotics-related offences, a rare legal proceeding involving a deposed head of state.
