Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez during a meeting with local and foreign investors at Miraflores Palace, Caracas. Photo: Venezuelan Presidential Press/File photo.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, has recognized US President Donald Trump’s decision to remove her from the List of Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN), labeling the move a step toward normalizing relations and the complete lifting of illegal US imperial sanctions.
The acting president announced on social media this Wednesday, April 1, that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), under the US Department of the Treasury, had formalized her exclusion from the imperialist list.
“We value President Trump’s decision as a step in the direction of normalizing and strengthening relations between our countries,” Rodríguez wrote. “We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of current sanctions against our country, enabling us to build and guarantee an effective bilateral cooperation agenda for the benefit of our people. Let us continue moving forward in building a prosperous Venezuela for all!”
Valoramos la decisión del Pdte. @realDonaldTrump como un paso en la dirección de la normalización y fortalecimiento de las relaciones entre nuestros países. Confiamos en que este avance permita el levantamiento de las sanciones vigentes sobre nuestro país, que permita edificar y
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) April 1, 2026
By removing her from this list, the prohibitions on citizens and entities within the US empire conducting financial transactions with Rodríguez now disappear, and any assets that may have been under US jurisdiction are unlocked.
Most Chavista leaders lack personal assets abroad. President Nicolás Maduro has consistently declared that he does not have financial assets to pay for his legal defense under the sham trials conducted by the US entity after abducting him. Despite this, the US government has restricted funds sent by the Venezuelan government to pay for his legal counsel under the argument of sanctions restrictions.
Restoration of diplomatic ties
Trump stated on Saturday, March 7, that he formally recognized the acting government of Delcy Rodríguez in Venezuela, as diplomatic relations between the two nations were restored. “I am pleased to announce that this week we have formally recognized the Venezuelan government. In fact, we have legally recognized it,” Trump stated during his speech at the Shield of the Americas summit in Florida.
The US ruler also announced the signing of a trade agreement focused on Venezuela’s mineral resources. “Furthermore, we have just reached a historic agreement on gold. It’s called the Gold Agreement with Venezuela,” he explained, “which will allow our two countries to collaborate to facilitate the sale of gold and other Venezuelan minerals.”
On February 20, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced that his country will request the European Union to lift the individual sanctions imposed on Rodríguez. The initiative arises as a diplomatic response to the Amnesty Law approved on Thursday in an ordinary session of the Venezuelan National Assembly, an instrument that the head of Spanish diplomacy considers a decisive step toward reconciliation and political dialogue.
Rodríguez is temporarily in charge of the Executive Branch of Venezuela following the US invasion and bombing of Venezuela on January 3, which resulted in the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife, Deputy Cilia Flores, who were taken by force to US territory. In that imperialist military operation, more than 100 people were killed, including 32 Cuban and 47 Venezuelan soldiers.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/AU
