'Undoubtedly Has Zionist Overtones': Venezuela's Interim President Claims Israeli Role in U.S. Capture of Maduro
Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who is poised to become the country's next president following the capture of Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces, hinted on Saturday that Israel was involved in the operation.
Speaking to the nation in a televised address, Rodriguez claimed the U.S. military operation – which, in addition to the capture of Maduro and his wife by special forces, also included airstrikes against targets on the ground – had "Zionist undertones."
The vice president said the world is in shock that "Venezuela is the victim and target of an attack of this nature, which undoubtedly has Zionist undertones. It is truly shameful."
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flor, were captured by the United States on Saturday, as part of a large-scale military operation. President Donald Trump announced later that day that the U.S. would run Venezuela "until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." Trump added that Rodriguez had been sworn in as Maduro's replacement, though she refuted the claim, saying Maduro is the country's only president.
The Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered on Saturday that Rodríguez assume the role of acting president of the country in the absence of Maduro.
Rodriguez spoke later on Saturday alongside the remaining senior officials in Venezuela, including key defense figures, demanding the "immediate release" of Maduro and his wife, saying that the world must know what the true goal of Maduro's capture is.
"It had one objective: Regime change in Venezuela," she said, adding that it would "also allow for the capture of our energy resources, our mineral resources, our natural resources."
Israeli officials have yet to publicly respond to Rodriguez's claim, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to social media to laud Trump for his "bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice," opting not to mention Maduro or Venezuela in his post on X.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also took to social media, calling out Maduro's "illegal tyranny" and saying that Israel "welcomes the removal of a dictator."
"The people of Venezuela deserve to exercise their democratic rights. South America deserves a future free from the axis of terror and drugs," Saar added.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid also gave his two cents on the matter, writing on social media that Iran "should pay close attention" to what happened in Venezuela.
Israel-Venezuela relations have deteriorated rapidly since 2006, when Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez, recalled his ambassador to Israel amid his criticism over Israel's conduct during the Second Lebanon War. Israel recalled its envoy to Caracasdays later after Chavez compared Israel's military offensive against Hezbollah to the actions of Hitler during the Holocaust.
Relations deteriorated even further under Maduro, including in early 2024 when his foreign ministry announced it would back the case filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice alleging that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, citing what it called "inhumane actions of the State of Israel."
"In the face of the act of genocide, [multilateral justice bodies] must rise to the occasion given the serious events that constitute a clear aggression against humanity and, in particular, the Palestinian people," according to a foreign ministry statement released at the time.
Reuters contributed to this report.