US Lifts Sanctions on Rodríguez

The US lifted sanctions on acting President Delcy Rodriguez of Venezuela on Wednesday, according to an Office of Foreign Assets Control entry on the Treasury Department website. The sanctions relief represents a strong signal, the AP reports, that the US recognizes Rodriguez as a legitimate authority in Venezuela ever since the US military captured Rodriguez's predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife on Jan. 3 in Caracas. The pair have since been taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges, and both have pleaded not guilty.

The move allows Rodriguez to more freely work with American companies and investors. Without explicitly mentioning the sanctions targeting her, Rodríguez, in a statement, expressed hope for US-Venezuela relations after the announcement. "We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of current sanctions against our country, enabling us to build and guarantee an effective bilateral cooperation agenda for the benefit of our people." Rodriguez and her brother Jorge Rodríguez were hit with US sanctions during Trump's first term, accused of involvement in undermining Venezuelan democracy. Legally, Maduro remains Venezuela's president.