President Delcy Rodríguez of Venezuela has only been in office for a few months, after Nicolás Maduro, the former leader whom she served under, was deposed and captured by the U.S. military. The deadly earthquakes that struck the country on Wednesday now force her to deal with a major disaster on top of her serious political challenges.
After U.S. forces spirited Mr. Maduro out of the country in January to face drug trafficking charges in New York, Ms. Rodríguez found herself in a complex balancing act: She has had to juggle the demands of President Trump, having assumed power with Washington’s blessing, while trying to assert authority over Maduro loyalists and manage Venezuelans’ expectations of an economic bonanza.
The Trump administration has demanded that Venezuela open its oil sector to foreign companies (especially those from the United States), work with U.S. security and intelligence services toward American objectives, sever ties with American adversaries and free political prisoners. Ms. Rodríguez has obliged on the economic and diplomatic requests while delaying political reforms.
A key member of her inner circle, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, is a founder of the ruling party with deep ties to the Venezuelan military and pro-government armed groups. The Trump administration has accused him of “narco-terrorism” in the same indictment as Mr. Maduro.
At a televised address after the quakes struck on Wednesday night, Ms. Rodríguez stood next to top officials, including Mr. Cabello, as she declared a state of emergency and detailed the initial reports of casualties and damage.
“I ask that we act in national unity, with calm, and that we know that together we are going to overcome this tragedy,” she said.
