Delcy Rodríguez assumed Venezuela’s interim presidency in January 2026 after U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro, and she has remained in the role beyond the initial constitutional time limit while consolidating authority through cabinet and military reshuffles. U.S. sanctions relief, diplomatic engagement, and economic reopening—including resumed commercial flights and renewed oil-sector investment—have bolstered her position and aligned her government closely with Washington priorities. The June 2026 earthquakes tested her early leadership amid a deepening humanitarian crisis, yet no major internal challenges or scheduled elections have displaced her as of mid-August. Trader assessments of her removal by near-term deadlines therefore hinge on the durability of U.S. backing, opposition dynamics involving figures such as María Corina Machado, and any formal transition timeline that could alter the current arrangement.