The Trump administration has discreetly directed federal prosecutors in Miami to refrain from pursuing criminal investigations into Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting President, who has been a focal point for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to current and former U.S. law enforcement officials. This move signifies a warming of relations between the White House and the oil-rich nation.
It remains unclear if prosecutors had linked Rodríguez to any criminal activities or if investigations were progressing towards an indictment. A U.S. Justice Department spokesperson clarified that “there was never an investigation into her to shut down.”
DEA records from earlier this year reveal that Rodríguez had been on the radar of federal law enforcement since at least 2018, although she has not faced criminal charges in the U.S. unlike several other high-ranking Venezuelan officials.
The decision to halt scrutiny into Rodríguez was made to avoid disrupting the administration’s efforts to stabilize Venezuela following the ousting of her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, among other considerations, as per the officials familiar with the matter.
Former officials, briefed on the development, and a current official, all spoke anonymously to The Associated Press as they were not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations. Rodríguez and a U.S. attorney representing her and the Venezuelan Communications Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Temporarily removing the potential threat of indictment alleviates pressure on Rodríguez as the Trump administration collaborates with her to stabilize Venezuela post-Maduro’s removal and facilitate U.S. investment.
President Donald Trump commended Rodríguez as a “terrific person” shortly after Maduro and his wife were taken into custody to face federal narcotics charges in New York. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Recent months have seen the U.S. lift sanctions against Rodríguez and recognize her as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state, enabling her to restore ties with western banks and engage more freely with U.S. investors interested in tapping into the nation’s vast petroleum reserves.
As bilateral relations deepen, some view Venezuela’s strategy — marked by oil embargoes, indictments of top officials, and military intervention threats — as a blueprint to drive internal regime change while the U.S. exerts pressure on other longstanding adversaries like Iran and Cuba.
Rodríguez and her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, were sanctioned during Trump’s first term for their roles in undermining Venezuelan democracy and bolstering Maduro’s authoritarian rule. Trump lauded Rodríguez’s efforts in March, expressing satisfaction with improving oil flows and the growing rapport between the two countries.
In recent interactions, Rodríguez has engaged with numerous American oil executives, some part of prominent delegations led by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Despite the positive exchanges, there has been no mention of elections in Venezuela, with Rodríguez surpassing a 90-day limit set by the country’s high court to temporarily fill Maduro’s position without indicating a specific timeline for elections when prompted by a visiting U.S. journalist.
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren, criticized the administration for favorably treating Rodríguez, branding her a key figure in Maduro’s repressive regime. They questioned the lifting of sanctions without tangible steps towards restoring democratic order.
Rick de la Torre, a former CIA chief, noted that pausing criminal investigations into Rodríguez aligns with the Trump administration’s Venezuela foreign policy goals, aiming to pave the way for democracy and U.S. investments despite her controversial background.
The DEA has maintained an intelligence dossier on Rodríguez since at least 2018, receiving allegations ranging from drug trafficking to gold smuggling. Informants have linked her to various DEA investigations across different locations, including ties to Alex Saab, a figure associated with Maduro and arrested on money-laundering charges in 2020.
Rodríguez deported Saab in a recent cleanup of business insiders accused of enriching themselves through corrupt dealings with Maduro. It remains unclear in which Miami investigations Rodríguez’s name emerged, with indications that she was discussed in meetings with Tampa investigators tasked with probing financial crimes in Venezuela last year.
Justice Department guidelines mandate the attorney general’s personal approval for charging foreign heads of state, typically immune from prosecution under international and U.S. laws.