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Venezuela Supreme Court constitutional chamber assigns Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume role of acting president amid absence of Nicolás Maduro, arrested in Caracas during operation carried out by US forces.
Court ruling states Rodríguez, in her capacity as acting president, assumes all duties and powers granted to office of president of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, to ensure continuity of administration and comprehensive defence of nation, according to statement read by head of constitutional chamber Tania D’Amelio during official televised broadcast.
Judges do not currently declare Maduro permanently absent, a move that would have triggered early elections within 30 days.
Earlier, Rodríguez calls for immediate release of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, stressing Maduro remains ‘only president’ of country, in televised address aired on state television following meeting of National Defence Council.
In speech, she says Venezuelan people respond to mobilisation call previously announced by Maduro, confirming deployment of popular cadres to streets and spread of Bolivarian National Armed Forces and citizen security agencies, within what she describes as defence of independence and national sovereignty after ‘brutal attack’ carried out at dawn on Saturday.
Al Jazeera + agencies