Venezuela’s Supreme Court has appointed Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president following the US capture of Nicolás Maduro.

The court ruled that Rodríguez will “assume and exercise, in an acting capacity, all the attributes, duties and powers inherent to the office of President to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defence of the nation.”

It added that she would oversee the “continuity of the State, the administration of government, and the defence of sovereignty” while Maduro is absent. The court also said it would further debate the legal framework needed to manage the country during this “forced absence” of the president.

US President Donald Trump said the United States would temporarily run Venezuela until a leadership transition could be organised. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump said, “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”

He gave few details on how the US would operate in a sovereign nation while Venezuela’s vice-president, legislature, and military oppose the move.

Trump said the plan would involve sending major US oil companies to repair Venezuela’s damaged energy infrastructure, while maintaining the US embargo on Venezuelan oil.

He added that US forces would remain on alert and that the initiative would be led by a group of senior officials, with a focus on restoring oil production and ensuring that the Venezuelan people were “also taken care of.”

A plane carrying Maduro landed in New York’s Stewart Airport just before 5 pm local time and will be transported to New York City, according to a source familiar with the matter.