U.S. lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez

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The United States has lifted sanctions on Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez, according to an entry on the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) website. The move removes Rodríguez from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List, allowing her to work more freely with US companies and investors.

The decision is the latest in a series of steps normalising relations between Washington and Caracas following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by US forces on January 3. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges; both have pleaded not guilty.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from several outlets, including the BBC, France 24, The Guardian, and The Hindu, frame the sanctions relief as the latest US recognition of Rodríguez as Venezuela's legitimate leader since Maduro's removal. Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle similarly note the lifting of sanctions and Rodríguez's assumption of office after the US military operation.

TASS, the Russian state news agency, reported that the US eased sanctions against four Venezuelan banks and the government, allowing commercial contracts with certain reservations. The same report noted that transactions with individuals in Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba remain prohibited, as do transactions with organisations in China.

Two Al Jazeera articles and a Deutsche Welle analysis carry a more critical tone, using language such as "abduction" and "kidnapping" to describe Maduro's capture, and characterising Venezuela's economy as "turbulent" and "hammered" by sanctions. These pieces highlight Rodríguez's call for further sanctions relief, which she argues is necessary to stabilise the economy and attract foreign investment.

Several outlets, including Deutsche Welle and the South China Morning Post, also report on Venezuela's consolidating political landscape and the coordination between the government and opposition to protect US-held assets, such as Houston-based refiner Citgo Petroleum, from creditors.

Key Claims

• Sanctions lifted: The US Treasury's OFAC removed Delcy Rodríguez from the Specially Designated Nationals List on Wednesday, as reported by multiple outlets including the BBC, Deutsche Welle, and The Guardian.

• 2018 sanctions: Rodríguez was sanctioned in September 2018, during Donald Trump's first term, along with her brother Jorge Rodríguez. The US accused them of being part of "authoritarian rule" and undermining democracy in Venezuela, as quoted in The Guardian and The Hindu.

• Recognition as leader: The US recognised Rodríguez as Venezuela's legitimate leader, with The Hindu and The Guardian specifically noting her recognition as the 'sole Head of State' in an ongoing civil case. This recognition followed the US military capture of Maduro.

• Maduro's absence declared 'temporary': Venezuela's high court declared Maduro's absence 'temporary' after his capture, according to reports in The Guardian and The Hindu.

• Cooperation with US plan: Rodríguez has been leading Venezuela's cooperation with the US administration's phased plan, as reported by The Hindu and others. She has been complying with US demands for economic reforms, including opening Venezuela's energy industry to American companies, as noted by Deutsche Welle and France 24.

• New licences for transactions: The US Treasury Department announced new licences for transactions with certain Venezuelan banks and individuals, as reported by Al Jazeera.

• US embassy reopened: The US Embassy in Caracas resumed operations this week after being closed for seven years, as reported by the BBC and France 24.

• Rodríguez's response: In a statement on X and Telegram, Rodríguez called the decision "a significant step in the right direction to normalise and strengthen relations between our countries," and expressed hope for the lifting of remaining sanctions, as quoted by multiple outlets.

• Call for further relief: Rodríguez has called on the US to lift the broader suite of sanctions on Venezuela, arguing that limited relief is not enough to stabilise the economy, as reported by Al Jazeera.

• Maduro's capture: US military forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife on January 3 in Caracas, according to multiple reports. The couple were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

• Asset protection efforts: Venezuela's government and opposition are seeking to coordinate their legal defence of US assets, including Citgo, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Lawyers have asked a US judge for a 45-day pause in a case where creditors seek to seize funds linked to state oil company PDVSA.

Perspectives

US Administration: White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the move showed progress between the two countries "to promote stability, support economic recovery, and advance political reconciliation in Venezuela," as reported by the BBC. Kelly added, "As President Trump has said, Delcy Rodríguez is doing a great job and is working with the United States very well."

Delcy Rodríguez's government: Rodríguez welcomed the sanctions relief but emphasised it was only a step toward the full lifting of sanctions. In her statements, she framed further relief as necessary for "institutional legal certainty" and sustained foreign investment, as reported by Al Jazeera.