Four sources told Reuters that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez may be in Russia, though Russia’s foreign ministry called the report "fake." Rodríguez demanded "proof of life" for Nicolás Maduro after President Trump said Maduro had been captured and posted a photo he said showed the detained leader. Trump said the U.S. would be involved in deciding Venezuela's future and later suggested a temporary role in governing the country. Analysts named María Corina Machado and Edmundo González as possible transitional leaders, while Jorge Rodríguez reportedly remains in Caracas.
Report: Venezuelan VP Delcy Rodríguez May Be in Russia as Succession Questions Mount
Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro is seen flanked by his wife Cilia Flores, right, and Delcy Rodriguez, left, in Caracas, Venezuela, May 24, 2018.
Four sources told Reuters that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez — widely seen as a possible successor to President Nicolás Maduro — may currently be in Russia. Russia’s foreign ministry later described the report as "fake," according to the news agency.
Earlier the same day, audio broadcast on Venezuelan state television captured Rodríguez demanding that the United States provide "proof of life" for Maduro and the first lady after U.S. President Donald Trump said the couple had been captured during a U.S. military operation.
President Donald Trump shared a photo of captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima after strikes on Venezuela, on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.
"We demand that President Donald Trump’s government provide immediate proof of life for President Maduro and the First Lady," Rodríguez said, Reuters reported.
President Trump posted a photograph on Truth Social showing a blindfolded, detained man he identified as Maduro aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima and said Maduro would later be brought to New York. Trump also told Fox News that "we're making that decision now" about Venezuela's next steps and later said at a Mar-a-Lago press conference that the United States would temporarily run the country — comments that signal direct U.S. involvement in determining the transitional leadership.
Maduro — who served as Venezuela’s vice president before assuming the presidency in 2013 after Hugo Chávez's death — is at the center of rapid political developments. Three sources told Reuters that Jorge Rodríguez, Delcy Rodríguez’s brother and head of the National Assembly, remains in Caracas.
Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez addresses the media in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 10, 2025.
Analysts cited in reporting suggested opposition figures María Corina Machado and Edmundo González could emerge as transitional leaders; Venezuelan analyst Jorge Jraissati told Fox News Digital that "Machado and Gonzalez would assume a transitional government in Venezuela." These possibilities remain speculative amid fast-moving events and unverified claims.
What To Watch: independent confirmation of Delcy Rodríguez’s location, verification of the photo and claims about Maduro’s capture, and how Venezuelan institutions and international actors respond to U.S. statements about temporary governance and succession.
Reporting contributions credited to Reuters and Fox News reporters Rachel Wolf, Benjamin Weinthal and Efrat Lachter. The situation remains fluid and many claims are unverified; readers should expect updates as more information becomes available.
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