Trump Administration Lifts Sanctions on Venezuela's Acting President Rodríguez

Move may allow Venezuela to regain control of foreign assets and facilitate debt negotiations.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 8:40am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The US Treasury Department has removed Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez from its 'Specially Designated Nationals' sanctions list, a move that could allow Venezuela to retake control of frozen foreign assets like the US-based CITGO refinery and facilitate foreign debt negotiations.

Why it matters

The sanctions removal represents a shift in US-Venezuela relations under the Trump administration, potentially paving the way for greater economic cooperation between the two countries. It also raises the possibility of Venezuela regaining control of key foreign assets like CITGO that have been under opposition control for years.

The details

Rodríguez had been on the US sanctions list since 2018, barring her and other Venezuelan officials from any economic or financial dealings with US entities. The Trump administration cited her role in 'contributing to the destruction of democracy' in Venezuela. The sanctions removal now opens the door for Rodríguez and the Venezuelan government to directly engage with US companies and organizations like the IMF.

  • The sanctions were first imposed on Rodríguez in September 2018, during Trump's first term as president.
  • The sanctions were lifted on April 1, 2026.

The players

Delcy Rodríguez

The acting president of Venezuela who was previously sanctioned by the US Treasury Department.

Donald Trump

The former US president whose administration originally imposed sanctions on Rodríguez in 2018.

CITGO

The US-based subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA, which has been under the control of the Venezuelan opposition since 2019.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This step will lead to the lifting of all sanctions currently in place against Venezuela 'in order to guarantee an effective binational cooperation agenda' that benefits both Washington and Caracas.”

— Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuelan Acting President

What’s next

The US State Department must still approve the appointments of new directors for CITGO and other Venezuelan state-owned subsidiaries in the US, which the Rodríguez government is preparing to retake control of.

The takeaway

The sanctions removal represents a potential thaw in US-Venezuela relations, but significant obstacles remain to fully restoring economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries. The fate of Venezuela's foreign assets like CITGO will be a key issue to watch going forward.