Washington has built its transition plans around vice president Delcy Rodriguez, a canny operator close to the oil industry.
Delcy Rodriguez after being sworn in as acting president of Venezuela this week. Getty Images
Joe Daniels, John Paul Rathbone and Michael Stott
Updated
The US operation to capture President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend and spirit him out of Venezuela for trial in New York left in charge a woman Washington already knew well: vice president Delcy Rodriguez.
Rodriguez, a canny political operator, was envisaged as head of a transitional government in secret talks that her politician brother, Jorge, led with Washington last year about a post-Maduro future, said two people familiar with the discussions. At that time, the negotiations had involved Maduro going safely into exile.
