The Trump administration has directed federal prosecutors in Miami to avoid pursuing criminal investigations into Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, according to current and former U.S. law enforcement officials. The move signals a potential shift in relations with the oil-rich nation, as the administration seeks to stabilise Venezuela following the capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro.
The instruction concerns a figure long targeted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, though a Justice Department spokesperson asserted that 'there was never an investigation into her to shut down.' However, DEA records obtained by The Associated Press earlier this year indicate Rodríguez consistently surfaced on the radar of federal law enforcement dating to at least 2018. She has never been criminally charged in the U.S., unlike several other senior Venezuelan officials.
The directive was meant to avoid upsetting the administration's efforts to stabilise Venezuela, one official said. It was not clear whether the White House was involved in the decision. 'Everybody has been told to stand down,' one former official said. Removing the threat of potential indictment eases pressure on Rodríguez as the Trump administration works with her to open Venezuela to U.S. investment.
President Donald Trump has praised Rodríguez as a 'terrific person' and recently lifted sanctions against her, recognising her as Venezuela's sole head of state. This has allowed her to re-establish ties with western banks and work with U.S. investors. However, critics note that no elections have been scheduled, despite a 90-day limit set by Venezuela's high court for her temporary role.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen has demanded the administration explain its favourable treatment of Rodríguez, calling her a 'central figure in Nicolás Maduro's repressive regime.' Rick de la Torre, a former CIA chief of station in Caracas, said the decision to shield Rodríguez fits well with the Trump administration's foreign policy goals in Venezuela.
