Right now there is no single, confirmed successor to Nicolás Maduro; several names are being discussed for either a transitional or de facto post‑Maduro leadership, and the situation is still fluid and uncertain.

What just happened

  • Nicolás Maduro has been removed from power and detained in a U.S. operation, creating a sudden power vacuum at the top of Venezuela’s state structure.
  • This has triggered an intense debate among governments, experts, and media over who will actually govern next, and whether the transition will be institutional, negotiated, or chaotic.

Civilian opposition contenders

Analysts consistently highlight two key opposition figures as leading democratic contenders in a transition scenario.

  • Edmundo González
    • Recognized by the United States and several actors as the real winner of the contested 2024 presidential election against Maduro.
* Often mentioned as a possible constitutional or interim president if a negotiated transition is honored, since he is seen as the legitimate electoral victor.
  • María Corina Machado
    • Long‑time opposition leader from the Vente Venezuela party, who overwhelmingly won the 2023 opposition primary before being barred from running by Maduro‑aligned institutions.
* Awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize and portrayed by some experts as having both broad popular support and symbolic leadership to co‑lead a transitional government with González.

Several expert commentaries suggest a joint transitional arrangement where González and Machado share power or coordinate a provisional administration to restore democratic institutions.

Regime insiders who could try to take over

At the same time, powerful figures from within the chavista structure may attempt to control the succession rather than allowing a clean opposition transition.

  • Delcy Rodríguez (Vice President)
    • Constitutionally positioned as successor and has been described in international coverage as the figure Trump says replaced Maduro, reflecting claims that she may be asserting authority after his capture.
* Plays a central role in the regime’s political and economic networks, and is sanctioned by the U.S. and EU for her role in dismantling democratic governance.
  • Jorge Rodríguez
    • President of the National Assembly, long‑time key strategist, and one of Maduro’s closest operators, often mentioned as a major player in any internal power deal.
* His political experience and influence inside the ruling party could make him a kingmaker or contender in a post‑Maduro configuration.
  • Diosdado Cabello
    • Frequently portrayed as the most feared and influential strongman inside chavismo, with deep ties to the security apparatus.
* Seen by some analysts as a potential rival center of power who could try to consolidate control if the system fragments.
  • Military and security chiefs (e.g., Vladimir Padrino López, Iván Hernández Dala)
    • The defense minister and heads of military intelligence and the presidential guard command crucial coercive power and could shape or block any transition scenario.
* Their stance—whether they back an opposition transition, a Delcy‑style succession, or a junta‑style arrangement—will be decisive.

Why there is no clear answer yet

  • Commentators emphasize that Venezuela is now in a “chaos” scenario : several different outcomes are possible, from a negotiated democratic transition to a new authoritarian configuration under another regime insider.
  • Foreign governments (including the U.S. and European states) are signaling support for a democratic transition, but on the ground power will depend on who controls security forces, institutions, and streets in the coming days.

So, in short: no one has definitively replaced Maduro yet , but Edmundo González and María Corina Machado are at the center of most democratic‑transition scenarios, while Delcy Rodríguez and other chavista and military figures remain powerful contenders for de facto control.

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