Venezuela’s parliament on Monday formally swore in Delcy Rodriguez as interim president, two days after US forces captured her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, and flew him to New York to face trial on drug trafficking charges.

 

 

 

Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president, took the oath of office before the National Assembly, addressing lawmakers: “I take this oath in the name of all Venezuelans. I am in pain over the kidnapping of our heroes, the hostages in the United States,” she said, referring to Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

 

 

The session also saw the reelection of Rodriguez’s brother, Jorge Rodriguez, as parliament speaker, consolidating control of Venezuela’s executive and legislative branches within the siblings.

 

 

 

“All procedures, all platforms, and all avenues will be pursued to bring back Nicolas Maduro Moros, my brother, my president,” Jorge Rodriguez told lawmakers.

 

 

 

 

Maduro’s son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, also addressed the assembly, pledging family support and assuring Venezuelans of continuity: “Count on me, count on my family. Venezuela is in good hands until my parents return.”

 

 

 

In the early hours of Jan. 3, U.S. military forces carried out a series of strikes on Venezuela, taking by force Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, before putting them in custody in New York.

 

 

 

The deposed Venezuelan leader declared himself “innocent” and a “decent man” as he pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in a U.S. courtroom

on Monday, January 5.