US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez")
US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez Photograph: (AFP)
US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, signaling warmer ties after Nicolas Maduro’s ouster and renewed diplomatic engagement
The United States on Wednesday (April 1) lifted sanctions on Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed leadership after Washington removed her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, in a January military operation. Her name was removed from the US Treasury’s sanctions list, signaling a major shift in Washington’s approach and recognition of her authority.
Rodríguez welcomed the move, describing it as part of improving ties between the two nations.
"We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of the sanctions currently in force against our country, and make it possible to build and guarantee an effective binational cooperation agenda for the benefit of our peoples," she added.
Relations between Washington and Caracas have improved since Maduro’s ouster, with Rodríguez working closely with Donald Trump’s administration, including opening Venezuela’s energy sector to US investment.
Rodriguez, who previously served as vice president under Maduro, had been sanctioned along with several key officials, including Vladimir Padrino López and Diosdado Cabello, for their roles in the former government. She dismissed Padrino Lopez in mid-March but continues to balance pressure from Washington with expectations from domestic allies. Cabello, who remains in office, is considered one of her main supporters.
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In a sign of improving diplomatic ties, the US Embassy in Caracas resumed operations earlier this week after a seven-year closure. The shift follows a US military operation on January 3 that captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. They were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges, which they deny. According to Venezuelan authorities, the operation resulted in around 100 deaths.
The United States closed its embassy in Caracas in March 2019, shortly after it, along with several Western and Latin American allies, declared Nicolás Maduro illegitimate following an election widely criticized for serious irregularities.
