US lifts sanctions on Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez

US Lifts Sanctions on Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodriguez

The US Department of the Treasury has removed Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez from the Specially Designated Nationals List, following her abduction and imprisonment of former President Nicolas Maduro. The update to the US Department of the Treasury website was made on Wednesday.

Rodriguez had been sanctioned under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) since 2018, which froze any assets she may have held in the US and prohibited any US-based entity from doing business with her. The sanctions were imposed by the US during Trump’s first term in office, citing Rodriguez’s involvement in the alleged destruction of democracy in Venezuela.

The US Department of State announced that the country’s embassy in Caracas had officially resumed operations on Monday after a seven-year closure. This move was seen as part of efforts to normalize and strengthen relations between the US and Venezuela.

Rodriguez has taken a conciliatory approach to US-Venezuela relations since being sworn in as Maduro’s replacement. She has signed legislation designed to open Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to private investment, including a piece of law passed in January that allows for greater outside investment in the country’s oil sector. A similar bill to attract investment to the mining sector received an initial vote in March.

The US President Donald Trump has made statements regarding his intentions for Venezuela, warning that further military action could follow if Rodriguez does not comply with his demands. Critics have questioned the circumstances under which these reforms have progressed and noted human rights violations persisting in the country despite the change in president.

Source: Al Jazeera