Recently, the Venezuela Supreme Court witnessed a dramatic escalation of political and military tensions over the weekend as deadly US airstrikes jolted the country and uncertainty grew over the continuity of executive authority. With reports of casualties, military action near key installations, and questions surrounding the President’s ability to discharge his functions, the spotlight shifted to Caracas’ highest constitutional forum.
According to Reuters, the Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela’s Supreme Court convened after the President was deemed absent from his duties following US military action. The strikes, launched early Saturday, reportedly killed at least 40 people, including both civilians and members of the Venezuelan military, as per statements from a senior Venezuelan official.
US President Donald Trump later told Fox News that while no American troops were killed, several service members sustained injuries. The New York Times quoted General Dan Caine, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, stating that US helicopters tasked with extracting President Nicolás Maduro and his wife came under fire during the operation, with one helicopter hit but still operational.
Local media further reported civilian casualties in Catia La Mar, a coastal area near Caracas airport, including the death of an elderly woman following an airstrike on a residential building.
The Venezuelan state maintained that the President’s absence was the result of “forced circumstances” arising from foreign military intervention, necessitating immediate institutional measures to preserve governance and sovereignty. The United States, on the other hand, asserted that its operation was precise and limited, claiming it resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife to face narcoterrorism charges in a New York federal court.
In its ruling, the Constitutional Chamber underscored the need to ensure “administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the Nation.” The court noted that the extraordinary situation required interim arrangements to prevent a constitutional vacuum and safeguard the functioning of the State, government administration, and national sovereignty. It also indicated that further deliberations would be undertaken to determine the appropriate legal framework applicable to the President’s enforced absence.
The Supreme Court ordered that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assume the office of Acting President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The arrangement, the court clarified, was intended to operate until a definitive legal position is reached on the continuity of executive power in light of the prevailing circumstances.
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