World · Latin America · 31 mins ago
US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s National Assembly leader
The United States lifted sanctions on Jorge Rodríguez, who has led Venezuela’s National Assembly since 2021.
He is the brother of interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who has been in charge since former President Nicolás Maduro was detained by US forces in January.
The sanctions had restricted his access to US-linked finances and business, including through asset freezes and bans on transactions with him.
The Treasury Department did not give a reason for removing him, though the move comes as Washington and Caracas negotiate closer ties and energy deals.
The two governments have agreed to give the US access to Venezuelan oil fields, while Venezuela has moved to open its energy sector to more foreign companies.
Further talks on Venezuela’s future are scheduled to begin Wednesday, and Delcy Rodríguez has promised elections, but no date has been set.
The United States Treasury Department removed Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, from its sanctions list on October 14.
Rodríguez, brother of interim President Delcy Rodríguez, has led the legislature since 2021.
The Treasury did not give a reason for the decision.
The move came amid US-Venezuela talks and agreements involving Venezuela’s oil and energy sectors.
Rodríguez had been sanctioned in 2018 alongside his sister and other figures in Nicolás Maduro’s government.
- Who
- Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly.
- What
- The United States lifted sanctions on him and removed him from its Specially Designated Nationals list.
- When
- Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
- Where
- The decision was announced by the US Treasury Department; the exact location is not stated.
- Why
- The Treasury did not state a reason. Al Jazeera reported that the move was part of wider diplomatic recognition of Venezuela’s interim government.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
US forces detained former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas.
The US Treasury removed interim President Delcy Rodríguez from its sanctions list.
The US announced an agreement concerning access to Venezuela’s oil sector.
Delcy Rodríguez traveled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly and met President Donald Trump.
The US Treasury removed Jorge Rodríguez from its sanctions list.
- Sanctions removed
- Jorge Rodríguez
- Position
- President of Venezuela’s National Assembly
- Legislative tenure
- Since 2021
- Original designation
- September 2018
- Oil access deal
- 17 Venezuelan oil fields, according to Al Jazeera and UOL
4 sources
What people are saying
Maduro has given them [...] high-ranking positions in the Venezuelan government to help him remain in power and strengthen his authoritarian regime.
high-ranking positions