Delcy Rodríguez published yesterday a video on her X account to reflect on her first 100 days as acting president of Venezuela, delivering an opening and reconciliation speech that drew attention due to a significant omission: she did not mention Nicolás Maduro at any point.
Rodríguez assumed office on January 5, 2026, two days after U.S. special forces captured Maduro in Operation Absolute Resolution. The Supreme Court swore her in under the provision of "forced absence," without initiating constitutional elections.
I have wanted to address Venezuela after these 100 days where we have taken firm steps towards the consolidation of a new historic moment for our country," Rodríguez stated at the beginning of the message, without making any reference to the man whom the Chavista apparatus formally describes as "kidnapped."
In terms of security, Rodríguez stated that Venezuela ranks among the safest countries in the region, with three homicides per 100,000 inhabitants and more than 6,000 active peace quadrants. This figure has not been verified by independent observers and contrasts with the reality reported by human rights organizations.
In terms of the economy, it cited a Gross Domestic Product growth of nearly 9% with 20 consecutive quarters of expansion, although the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean projects only a 3% growth for 2026. Analysts also point out that this growth is partly a rebound effect following the contraction of more than 30% recorded between 2013 and 2020.
Rodríguez announced that the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela produces 1.1 million barrels daily and expects to regain the production level of December 2025 in April, which he attributed to the "blockade against Venezuela." He also highlighted the recovery of the Venezuelan representation in the International Monetary Fund and more than 70 million dollars in credits aimed primarily at women entrepreneurs.
The 100-day speech coincided with the launch of the so-called Great Pilgrimage for Peace and Sanctions Relief, a 13-day mobilization called by Rodríguez from three simultaneous routes—Zulia, Táchira, and Amazonas—heading to Caracas, which will conclude on May 1. On the same day, she is expected to announce a "responsible" increase in the minimum wage, which has been frozen at 130 bolívares per month—equivalent to about 27 cents—since March 2022, while the basic food basket surpassed 645 dollars in February 2026.
The paradox of the march is striking: it demands an end to international sanctions when Washington has already removed Rodríguez from the Office of Foreign Assets Control's sanctions list on April 1, and authorized transactions with the Central Bank of Venezuela on April 14. Rodríguez argues that temporary licenses do not provide "legal certainty" and demands a total and permanent lifting of the sanctions.
While the government celebrates its achievements, relatives of political prisoners marked 100 days of continuous vigils yesterday outside prisons such as El Rodeo I, denouncing that the Amnesty Law—promulgated on February 19 and which the government claims has benefited over 8,000 people—has progressed "bit by bit." The non-governmental organization Foro Penal reports 477 political prisoners still detained, 111 of whom are in El Rodeo I, described as a "torture center."
From Madrid, María Corina Machado warned yesterday that "if Venezuelans feel that what is happening is merely an economic issue, related to money, and not about the people, they could completely lose their patience", pointing out that Venezuelan society will not accept a transition that only benefits the elites of the regime and the oil multinationals.
"These 100 days are not a destination, they are the beginning of a new stage," concluded Rodríguez in his message, in which he did not present an electoral roadmap nor set any date for the call for presidential elections.
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