Delcy Rodríguez has served as Venezuela’s acting and now interim president since early January 2026, following the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro and a Supreme Court order designating her to ensure continuity. She has consolidated authority through cabinet reshuffles, military appointments, and a shift in official messaging from “encargada” to president, while overseeing oil agreements with U.S. firms and limited sanctions relief. Formal talks with opposition factions began in August 2026 under U.S. auspices, with another round scheduled soon, though no election date has been set and constitutional term limits for provisional leadership have already lapsed. Domestic pressures include recovery from mid-2026 earthquakes and internal Chavista dynamics, while Maduro continues to assert legal claims from U.S. detention. These transition negotiations, institutional timelines, and external diplomatic signals remain the main variables shaping assessments of her continued tenure.