Who is ‘tsarina’ Delcy Rodriguez, the acting president of Venezuela?

Jan 4 (Reuters) – Delcy Rodriguez, declared the interim president of Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces, is one of the iron fists in Venezuelan politics, a practitioner of economic orthodoxy who has strived to build relationships with the private sector and who is known for her taste for luxury.

Over more than a decade in public life, the 56-year-old Rodriguez has amassed significant influence, earning her the nickname “the tsarina,” while Maduro has called her a “tigress” for her staunch defense of his socialist government, which has presided over a deep economic crisis, alleged torture and arbitrary detentions and the exodus of some 8 million migrants.

She has been vice president since 2018, simultaneously serving first as finance minister and then as oil minister. Before that she was communications minister, foreign minister and the head of a pro-government legislature. She works closely with her brother, Jorge Rodriguez, who is the head of the National Assembly.

The Rodriguez siblings are the children of leftist guerrilla fighter Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, who founded the revolutionary Socialist League Party and was arrested in 1976 for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of an American businessman.

He died in police custody due to what his family alleges was torture and Maduro has praised him as a hero of the Venezuelan left.

Delcy, a lawyer specializing in labor law, spent nine years in France and England pursuing postgraduate studies.

She participates in table tennis competitions with her brother, which they often share on social media. In public appearances, she’s often seen wearing luxury clothing brands.

As vice president, after years of hyperinflation amid U.S. sanctions, she implemented orthodox policies including cutting public spending, limiting credit and a fixed dollar-bolivar rate, which helped lower triple-digit inflation.

She has managed to keep oil production at an average of about 1.1 million barrels per day last year, and her role has put her in close contact with foreign oil companies like Chevron.

Sometimes described by industry leaders as a “workaholic,” Rodriguez attends many private sector events, something other public officials neglected to do for years. She is the Venezuelan official who travels most frequently to China, Russia, and Turkey, some of Venezuela’s allies.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Diane Craft)