Acting President Rodríguez sworn in as Maduro pleads not guilty in show trial

The Socialist Bulletin Staff - 6/1/2026

VICE President Delcy Rodríguez has been formally sworn in as Acting President of Venezuela, less than an hour before President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to all 'crimes' the US regime alleges he committed.

The Rodríguez government has published the full text of the declaration of Venezuela's state of emergency, which orders police to find quislings and those that support the US war crimes. This indicates a strong response by Venezuelan authorities to ensure their independence, despite US claims that Rodríguez is a puppet of the United States regime.

At the same time, President Maduro, following his illegal kidnapping, was forced into the courtroom, whose authority he is not under, as he is not a US citizen, and was illegally forced into the country against his will. He pleaded not guilty, declaring that he is 'a decent man, the president of [his] country'. This statement caused controversy among the court, as the courtroom filled with puppets of Empire disputed the fact that he is Venezuela's President, despite the fact that he has won several elections, and the support of the people of Venezuela.

Switzerland, proving itself as once again on the wrong side of history, has frozen all assets in their country linked to President Maduro. This is shocking, as the Swiss government enriched itself during World War 2 using Nazi gold, and the spoils of Nazi war, and enriches itself today using American funds. The freezing of Maduro's assets prove that Switzerland is forever a puppet of capital, and their actions, while feigning neutrality, betray them.

The Venezuelan people have begun farewelling their dead, with the first funeral being held for a victim of the illegal US attack, Rosa Elena Gonzalez, a civilian with no links to the government, who was sitting in her apartment when it was bombed by the US regime.

Protests advocating peace have continued across the world, with widespread protest for Maduro's release in Caracas, and large protests occurring outside the court in New York, demanding Maduro's release.