Venezuela is currently in a power vacuum after Nicolás Maduro was captured and removed from the country by a U.S. military operation, and no new long‑term leader has formally taken office yet. Discussion among opposition figures and international actors centers on a potential transitional arrangement led by opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, but this has not yet solidified into a universally recognized government.

What just happened in Venezuela?

  • Nicolás Maduro was captured in a U.S. operation described by President Donald Trump as a “large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader.”
  • Trump stated that the United States will effectively “run the country” temporarily until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” can be arranged.
  • Maduro’s removal follows years of contested elections and accusations of fraud, including the disputed 2024 vote where international observers and many governments recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González as the real winner.

Who is most likely to lead next?

Several names are at the center of the “who will lead Venezuela” question right now:

  • Edmundo González Urrutia
    • Recognized by the U.S. and other actors as the legitimately elected president after the disputed 2024 election.
* Currently in exile in Spain but widely seen as the civilian figure who could claim the presidency in a transition scenario.

* María Corina Machado has publicly called for González to be recognized as the legitimate president and to assume control of government and the armed forces.
  • María Corina Machado
    • Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2025), long-time critic of Maduro and figurehead of the democratic opposition.
* Analysts quoted in recent reports say Machado and González would likely form a transitional government and that they enjoy support from a large share of Venezuelans.

* She has framed the current moment as “the time for freedom,” calling for restoration of democratic institutions, release of political prisoners, and return of exiles.
  • U.S.–backed transitional authority
    • Trump has said that the U.S. will oversee the country until a “judicious” transition is possible, implying a period of de facto external control or heavy influence.
* How this coexists with a Venezuelan transitional government (for example, with González as president and Machado as a key political leader) is still unclear and likely to be negotiated.

Short-term vs long-term leadership

In the near term, “who will lead Venezuela” probably means a mix of:

  • A de facto control role by the United States (security and key levers of power) during the immediate post‑Maduro phase.
  • A transitional Venezuelan leadership, most plausibly:
    • Edmundo González as interim or recognized president, and
    • María Corina Machado as the central political architect and public face of the transition.

In the longer term:

  • The expectation is for new elections once security conditions and basic institutions are restored, allowing Venezuelans to choose a government with fuller legitimacy.
  • The exact timeline, electoral rules, and international supervision mechanisms are still unknown and will depend heavily on negotiations among the opposition, remaining state structures, and international actors.

Different viewpoints and uncertainties

Because events are unfolding quickly, multiple narratives are circulating:

  • Opposition and many international observers
    • See this as a long-delayed transition where González, backed by Machado, should take over immediately as the rightful president.
* Emphasize restoring democratic institutions, freeing political prisoners, and reversing years of authoritarian rule and economic collapse.
  • Remnants of the Maduro state apparatus
    • Figures like Vice President Delcy Rodríguez have challenged the U.S. narrative, demanding proof of life for Maduro and resisting recognition of any opposition-led government.
* Some state and security actors may try to preserve elements of the old regime or negotiate immunity and guarantees in exchange for accepting a transition.
  • International community
    • Governments that already recognized González after the disputed 2024 election are inclined to support him as head of a transition.
* Others may be cautious about endorsing a leadership arrangement that follows a foreign military operation, balancing concern for sovereignty with support for democratization.

Given all this, the most realistic answer today is:

  • No single, fully recognized leader has yet taken office.
  • Edmundo González Urrutia is the leading candidate to be recognized as Venezuela’s civilian president in a transition, strongly backed by María Corina Machado and several foreign governments.
  • The United States, under President Donald Trump, currently holds decisive leverage on the ground and says it will oversee the country until a negotiated transition is in place.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.