The United States has officially lifted sanctions against Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, signaling a rapid transformation in bilateral relations just months after the dramatic military ouster of Nicolás Maduro.
The policy reversal arrives less than 90 days after US forces conducted a raid in Caracas, seizing Maduro and his wife and transferring them to New York to stand trial for drug trafficking. In the aftermath, Venezuela’s National Assembly—a body largely loyal to the former leader—swore in Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president, as the nation's interim head of state.
Rodríguez had been placed on the US Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list in 2018 under accusations of undermining democratic institutions. Following her removal from the blacklist, which unfreezes her US assets and allows Americans to engage in business with her, Rodríguez took to social media to celebrate the decision. She characterized the rollback as "a significant step in the right direction to normalise and strengthen relations between our countries."
The White House has openly embraced the new Venezuelan leadership. Spokeswoman Anna Kelly noted that removing the sanctions reflects mutual progress in promoting economic recovery and political stability. Kelly also relayed praise from President Donald Trump, who recently dubbed Rodríguez "a terrific person," adding that she "is doing a great job and is working with the United States very well."
This financial reprieve is the latest milestone in a broader diplomatic reset. Earlier this week, the US formally reopened its embassy in Caracas following a seven-year closure, while a Venezuelan diplomatic contingent is en route to Washington to resume embassy operations there. Simultaneously, multiple US delegations have visited Caracas to discuss expanding American access to Venezuela's lucrative oil and mineral reserves.
However, the administration's warming ties with Rodríguez have drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and the Venezuelan opposition. Critics argue that Washington should use sanctions as leverage to demand the release of all political prisoners—a stipulation previously championed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While hundreds of detainees have been freed under a recent amnesty law, the legal rights organization Foro Penal reports that nearly 500 political prisoners remain incarcerated.
Opposition leaders are also raising alarms over the lack of a clear timeline for democratic elections. María Corina Machado, the exiled opposition figure who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December, met with Secretary Rubio on Tuesday. Despite being politically sidelined by the Trump administration's pivot toward Rodríguez, Machado struck an optimistic tone, calling the talks "excellent" and praising Rubio’s dedication to Venezuelan freedom.
Speaking to Fox News after the meeting, Rubio defended the administration's three-phase strategy, claiming that Venezuela has now entered a period of economic recovery. While he acknowledged that a transition to free and fair elections is ultimately necessary, he offered no concrete timeline. "It's not forever, but we have to be patient, but we also can't be complacent," Rubio said.