Delcy Rodríguez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Delcy Rodríguez
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![]() Rodríguez in 2016
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24th Vice President of Venezuela | |
Assumed office 14 June 2018 |
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President | Nicolás Maduro |
Preceded by | Tareck El Aissami |
Minister of Petroleum | |
In office 27 August 2024 – 15 January 2025 |
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President | Nicolás Maduro |
Preceded by | Pedro Tellechea |
President of the Constituent Assembly | |
In office 4 August 2017 – 14 June 2018 |
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President | Nicolás Maduro |
Preceded by | Luis Miquilena (1999) |
Succeeded by | Diosdado Cabello |
189th Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
In office 26 December 2014 – 21 June 2017 |
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President | Nicolás Maduro |
Preceded by | Rafael Ramírez |
Succeeded by | Samuel Moncada |
2nd Minister of Popular Power for Communication and Information | |
In office 3 August 2013 – 13 October 2014 |
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President | Nicolás Maduro |
Preceded by | Ernesto Villegas |
Succeeded by | Jacqueline Faria |
Personal details | |
Born |
Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez
18 May 1969 Caracas, Republic of Venezuela |
Political party | United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) (until 2018) Movement We Are Venezuela (MSV) (from 2018) |
Domestic partner | José Vicente Olmos Iguaro (since 1996) |
Parents | Jorge Antonio Rodríguez (father; 1942-1976) |
Relatives | Jorge Rodríguez (brother) |
Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez (born 18 May 1969) is a Venezuelan lawyer and politician. She has been the vice president of Venezuela since 2018. Rodríguez has held many important jobs in the Venezuelan government. She served as the Minister of Communication and Information from 2013 to 2014. She was also the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2017. From 2017 to 2018, she was the President of the Constituent Assembly. She also served as Minister of Petroleum from 2024 to 2025.
She is a leader in the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Some countries, like the European Union, the United States, and Canada, have placed sanctions on her. These sanctions are due to concerns about democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela. Her role as vice president was also debated by some between 2019 and 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Rodríguez was born in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. Her father, Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, helped start a political group called the Socialist League. Her mother's name is Delcy Gómez. Rodríguez's father passed away in 1976 while he was in prison. She also has a brother named Jorge Rodriguez Gomez.
Rodríguez studied at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV). She earned a law degree there in 1993. While at UCV, she was also a student leader. She later studied labor law in Paris, France. Rodríguez has also worked as a professor at the Central University of Venezuela. She was also the president of a union for labor lawyers in Venezuela.
Political Career

Starting in Government
Rodríguez began working for the government in 2003. She joined the Vice Presidency of Venezuela. Later, she became the Director of International Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Mines. In 2005, she was made Vice-minister for European Affairs. She also served as Minister for Presidential Affairs from February to August 2006. This was during the time Hugo Chávez was president.
In 2013, President Nicolás Maduro appointed her as the Minister of Communication and Information. She held this job until October 2014.
Role as Foreign Minister
On 26 December 2014, President Nicolás Maduro chose Rodríguez to be the Minister of Foreign Relations. This job is also known as Chancellor. She was the first woman in Venezuela's history to hold this important position.
In December 2015, Rodríguez attended a meeting of South American leaders called Mercosur. At this meeting, she had a discussion with the President of Argentina, Mauricio Macri. He asked for political prisoners in Venezuela to be released. Rodríguez said he was getting involved in Venezuela's internal matters.
During her time as Foreign Minister, Rodríguez received special honors. In June 2016, she was given the Military Order of National Defense. This was for "defending the interests of the nation." In December of the same year, she received the Order of Liberators and Liberators of Venezuela. This was for "bringing the truth of Venezuela to the world."
In 2016, countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay discussed suspending Venezuela from Mercosur. They had concerns about Venezuela following the rules for membership. These rules covered trade, politics, democracy, and human rights.
Rodríguez left her role as Foreign Minister in June 2017. She decided to run as a candidate for the National Constituent Assembly. She was replaced by Samuel Moncada.
Leading the Constituent Assembly
On 30 July 2017, Rodríguez was elected as a representative for Caracas to the National Constituent Assembly (ANC). When the ANC was formed on 4 August 2017, she was chosen to be its president. In January 2018, President Nicolás Maduro announced that Rodríguez would lead a new political group called the Somos Venezuela Movement (MSV). She later left her old party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), to join the MSV. However, she rejoined the PSUV later that year.
Becoming Vice President
On 14 June 2018, President Maduro named Rodríguez as the Vice President of Venezuela. She took over from Tareck El Aissami. As Vice President, she also became the head of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN), which is Venezuela's intelligence agency.
In December 2018, Rodríguez welcomed the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to Venezuela. In November 2022, she visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Minister of Economy and Finance
Since 10 September 2020, Rodríguez has also served as the Minister of Economy and Finance of Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro appointed her to this position.
Sanctions
Rodríguez has faced sanctions from several countries. She is not allowed to enter neighboring Colombia. The Colombian government has a list of people banned from entering the country.
On 22 September 2017, Canada placed sanctions on Rodríguez. This was due to her role in Venezuela's political situation.
The European Union also sanctioned Rodríguez on 25 June 2018. Her money was frozen, and she was banned from traveling to EU countries. This was because of concerns about democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela.
On 20 April 2018, the Mexican Senate also approved measures against officials from the Maduro government, including Rodríguez. They froze her assets and stopped her from entering Mexico.
Switzerland also sanctioned Rodríguez on 10 July 2018. They froze her money and banned her from traveling, for similar reasons as the European Union.
The United States sanctioned Rodríguez on 25 September 2018. This was due to concerns about corruption and humanitarian issues.
Personal Life
Delcy Rodríguez's father was Jorge Antonio Rodríguez. He was one of the founders of the Socialist League in Venezuela. He was arrested in 1976 and passed away while in police custody. Her brother, Jorge Jesús Rodríguez, has also held important political roles, including Mayor of Caracas and vice president.
Rodríguez was in a relationship with actor Fernando Carrillo until 2007.
See also
In Spanish: Delcy Rodríguez para niños
- List of ministers of foreign affairs of Venezuela
- List of current foreign ministers
- List of foreign ministers in 2017
- List of female foreign ministers