- Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has emerged as the public face of post-Maduro Venezuela, while her brother Jorge is widely regarded as one of the country’s most influential civilian power brokers

- Hardline Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello wields influence among the military, as well as paramilitary and other armed groups, analysts say

- Another central figure is Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, a longtime Maduro ally and one of Venezuela’s most powerful generals

ISTANBUL 

After a US military operation led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, analysts say the clearest clues about the country’s political future lie in the hands of a small circle of senior political and military figures now running the state’s most powerful institutions.

Rather than a single figure, Venezuela’s trajectory is being shaped by these long-serving officials whose authority predates Maduro and whose influence spans the government, armed forces and security apparatus.

Many of these figures are under US sanctions and remain publicly committed to Chavismo, the left-wing ideology founded by former President Hugo Chavez, even as they face mounting pressure from Washington to cooperate or risk further escalation.

Here are the key figures shaping Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody:

Delcy Rodriguez: The pragmatist

At the center of the new power structure is Delcy Rodriguez, the former vice president and oil minister who was sworn in last week as interim president.

She previously served as foreign minister from 2014 to 2017 and as finance minister from 2020 to 2024, giving her extensive experience managing Venezuela’s international relationships and battered economy.

The 56-year-old lawyer comes from a family of left-wing activists.

Her father, Jose Antonio Rodriguez, was a Marxist leader who was accused of involvement in the kidnapping of an American businessman and alleged spy. He died under torture by Venezuelan intelligence agents in 1976.

Her brother, Jorge Rodriguez, is the speaker of Venezuela’s parliament, making the siblings one of the most influential families in the country.

Following Maduro’s capture, Delcy Rodriguez – once nicknamed the “tigress” by Maduro – denounced the US operation as an “abduction,” accusing Washington of seeking regime change and control over Venezuela’s oil, mineral and energy reserves.

“The masks have fallen,” she said on state television, insisting that Maduro remains Venezuela’s only legitimate leader.

Her tone later softened after US President Donald Trump warned there would be consequences if she failed to “do what’s right,” with Rodriguez signaling openness to cooperation.

Pablo Ribeiro Uchoa, a researcher at University College London’s Institute of the Americas, described Rodriguez as a pragmatist shaped by her experience in economic negotiations.

“She was the oil minister so she understands the industry as well,” he added.

Still, she faces pressure on multiple fronts, including from Chavista hardliners and key military figures.

Disarmament poses an even greater challenge, he warned.

“Asking people to lay down their arms is going to be extremely complicated,” Uchoa said.

Diosdado Cabello: The hardliner

Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s minister of interior, justice and peace, is widely considered one of the most powerful figures in the country.

Often described as number two in the Maduro regime, he is a longtime ally of both Maduro and Chavez.

The 62-year-old, who has a military background, participated in Chavez’s failed 1992 coup and briefly served as vice president when Chavez was ousted for 48 hours in 2002.

US media reports suggest the Trump administration is closely watching Cabello and could target him next if he fails to back Rodriguez.

Like many senior Venezuelan officials, Cabello is sanctioned by the US. The State Department last year raised its reward to up to $25 million for information leading to his arrest.

Uchoa said Cabello has long wielded influence within the armed forces.

“Diosdado has always been kind of seen as a rival to Maduro because of this power that he has … within the armed forces and with the soldiers.”

Describing Cabello as a Chavista hardliner, Uchoa said his ideological commitments are deeply entrenched.

With Maduro gone, Cabello has kept a relatively low public profile.

“He’s probably thinking about how to organize resistance,” Uchoa said.

“This is someone who will resist all attempts of the US to impose its will on Venezuela.”

“He is in charge of relationships with armed groups, paramilitary groups and people who would be willing to put up Venezuela’s defense.”

Vladimir Padrino Lopez: The military ally

Another central figure is Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, a longtime Maduro ally and one of Venezuela’s most powerful generals.

Appointed defense minister in July 2014, Padrino was soon after named head of the Venezuelan Armed Forces.

Uchoa said Padrino describes himself as a “socialist soldier.”

Under his leadership, the military underwent what the analyst called an “ideological correction,” marked by increased surveillance and arrests.

Padrino, he added, is aware that if the armed forces were to stage a coup and create a military dictatorship in Venezuela, it would strip the armed forces of civilian legitimacy and could ultimately backfire.

Jorge Rodriguez: The power broker

Jorge Rodriguez is widely regarded as one of the most influential civilian power brokers in Venezuela.

A trained psychiatrist, he entered politics during the early years of Chavez’s rule and has since held a series of senior government posts, including vice president in 2008.

Rodriguez became president of Venezuela’s National Assembly in January 2021 and was reappointed at the start of the 2026 legislative session, shortly after Maduro’s capture.

He is seen as a key architect of the government’s response to international pressure, particularly US and EU sanctions.

Last week, Rodriguez announced that Venezuela had begun freeing individuals detained on political grounds, including foreign nationals – a move analysts see as a signal of openness to cooperating with Washington.

Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez: The intelligence officer

Another key figure is Gen. Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez.

Last week, Rodriguez appointed him both commander of the presidential guard and director general of military counterintelligence (DGCIM), replacing Maj. Gen. Javier Marcano Tabata as commander of the unit responsible for protecting Maduro.

Venezuelan media reported that Tabata was dismissed for failing to implement adequate security measures and stop the US operation that led to Maduro’s capture.

Gonzalez Lopez previously served as head of Venezuela’s intelligence service, SEBIN, from 2019 to 2024, and has also held the post of interior and justice minister.

International human rights groups have accused him of overseeing abuses during his tenure at SEBIN – allegations that prompted sanctions by both the US and the EU.