Delcy Rodriguez, a 56-year-old lawyer and longtime deputy to Nicolas Maduro, has been sworn in as Venezuela's interim president. Much of Maduro's inner circle remains in place. Here's who is still running the country.

Caracas

The U.S has launched strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities and arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro along wife his wife.

Venezuela Strikes

Delcy Rodríguez has become the first woman to lead Venezuela, following her tenure as vice-president since 2018 and previous roles as foreign, finance, and oil minister. She has maintained significant contacts in the U.S. oil industry and Wall Street, although she remains under international sanctions for her role in the government's crackdown on dissent.

Key figures in her circle include her brother Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and chief government strategist, as well as Defense Minister Bladimir Padrino López and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, both of whom are wanted by U.S. authorities on serious charges. These individuals hold critical positions in Venezuela's political and security apparatus.

Who are the key government figures around Delcy Rodriguez?

A long-time member of Venezuela's ruling party, Delcy Rodríguez had been vice-president since 2018, and now becomes the first woman to lead the Latin American country. The daughter of a leftist guerrilla fighter, she held other important roles in Venezuela, including foreign minister. Along with Rodríguez's job as vice-president, she was also simultaneously finance and oil minister, a key position in the petroleum-dependent economy. Rodríguez made many contacts in the U.S. oil industry and Wall Street. She is believed to have dealt directly with U.S. President Trump's special envoy, Richard Grinnell. However, she has remained under sanctions by the U.S., EU and others for supporting and overseeing the crackdown on dissent in Venezuela. But unlike Nicolás Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez is not wanted on criminal charges in the United States. Her brother Jorge, seen here on the right, is another senior member of Maduro's regime. He is also not wanted by the U.S. He's the president of Venezuela's National Assembly, and is widely regarded to have been the chief strategist in Maduro's government. Jorge Rodríguez has also been a lead negotiator in talks between Caracas and the U.S. Another powerful member of the Venezuelan regime has been Defense Minister Bladimir Padrino López. He has been a loyal figure to Nicolás Maduro. Padrino López has served as the head of the Venezuelan Armed Forces since 2014, and is wanted by the U.S. for alleged international drug trafficking. Diosdado Cabello is Venezuela's powerful interior minister, and is also wanted by U.S. authorities for alleged narco-terrorism. He has direct control over the country's police forces and intelligence services. Cabello has held many senior roles in government, including vice president. He has a brother, José David, who is also part of the Maduro inner circle.

U.S. forces have boarded a Venezuela-linked sanctioned oil tanker in the North Atlantic after pursuing it for weeks. The U.S. military also announced the seizure of a sanctioned tanker ship in the Caribbean Sea, the second vessel taken by American forces on Wednesday.

U.S. seizes two more sanctioned oil tankers with links to Venezuela

A woman was fatally shot by an ICE officer Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, the Department of Homeland Security says. CBS News' Nicole Sganga reports from the scene.

Minneapolis

Protesters gather after ICE shoots and kills woman in Minneapolis

The U.S. seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday (Jan. 7), after a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic as part of a U.S. "blockade" of Venezuelan oil exports.

U.S. seizes Venezuela-linked oil tanker after weeks-long pursuit

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Los Angeles

Nick Reiner due in court on murder charges

Flights across France and Belgium and Eurostar train services have been severely disrupted by the winter weather.

Paris

Eurostar trains and hundreds of flights cancelled amid heavy snowfall

President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday urged security forces to distinguish between what he called rioters and protesters, urging them not to target peaceful demonstrators.

Tehran

Iran's President urges security forces not to target protesters

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Death toll rises as Iran's security forces clash with protesters

Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are reacting to the Trump administration's comments on a potential Greenland takeover from Denmark.

Nuuk

European leaders blast Trump over Greenland takeover discussions

Donald Trump says Venezuela will hand over as much as 50 million barrels of oil and he will control the profits.

Washington

Trump says Venezuela will turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil

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London

Ukraine Invasion

UK, France ready to deploy troops in Ukraine after ceasefire

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would “take up arms” in the face of threats issued by US President Donald Trump.

Bogotá

Colombia vows to defend its sovereignty amid Trump’s military threats

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Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israeli school assault wounds dozens of Palestinians in West Bank raid

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Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a national security priority

The United States for the first time backed a broad coalition of Ukraine's allies in vowing to provide security guarantees that leaders said would include binding commitments to support the country if it is attacked by Russia again.

U.S. backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit of Kyiv's allies

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep concern over recent U.S. military action in Venezuela, calling for the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Soweto

Ramaphosa urges UN action after U.S. capture of Maduro

At least 25 people have been killed in Iran during the first nine days of protests that started in the bazaar of Tehran over the plunging value of the currency and soaring inflation, according to rights groups. This video contains graphic images.

Rights groups say at least 25 dead in Iran protests

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Trump administration sets meetings with oil firms on Venezuela: source

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Tension rises in Colombia after Maduro’s capture

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New York

Maduro pleads 'not guilty' in U.S. drug trafficking case

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Crans-Montana

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Beit Jinn

Israeli army vehicles enter southern Syria ahead of Paris talks

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Kyiv

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Cincinnati

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Manhattan

Maduro, wife plead not guilty to charges in New York

A Paris court on Monday (January 5) found 10 people guilty of the cyber-harassment of France's first lady, Brigitte Macron, for spreading false claims that she is a transgender woman who was born male.

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Nicolás Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was officially sworn in as Venezuela's acting president. President Donald Trump warned he could go after her if she doesn't comply with U.S. demands, including access to the country's oil supply.

Trump says U.S. "in charge" of Venezuela

A Paris ​court on Monday found ten people guilty ⁠of the cyber-harassment of France's first lady, Brigitte Macron, for spreading false claims she is a transgender ​woman who was born a man. The court convicted all defendants to sentences ranging from a cyberbullying awareness training to 8-month suspended prison sentences.

Ten people found guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is set to appear in a U.S. court on Monday (January 5) on drug charges after his controversial capture by American forces. President Donald Trump says he could order another strike if Venezuela’s interim government doesn’t cooperate.

Trump warns of second strike as Maduro faces U.S. drug charges

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being housed at Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn, after he was captured by U.S. forces and flown to New York to face federal drug trafficking and weapons charges.

Who are the key government figures around Delcy Rodriguez?

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Venezuela Strikes