Caracas, Venezuela — Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president, has been removed from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions list.
Her name had been on the list since 2018, when as vice president, authorities identified her as one of the figures who contributed to undermining democracy in the South American country.
The decision was made nearly three months after Nicolás Maduro’s capture in an operation carried out in Caracas by U.S. military per
Caracas, Venezuela — Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president, has been removed from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions list.
Her name had been on the list since 2018, when as vice president, authorities identified her as one of the figures who contributed to undermining democracy in the South American country.
The decision was made nearly three months after Nicolás Maduro’s capture in an operation carried out in Caracas by U.S. military personnel.
Her removal represents another sign of rapprochement between Rodríguez and the Trump administration in their attempts to normalize relations between the two countries. Just this week, the U.S. announced it had reopened its embassy in Caracas after nearly seven years.
In the post on X, Rodríguez applauded the action taken by Trump and said she hopes future sanctions against the country will be lifted. “This will allow for rapid economic development, investment, and an effective bilateral cooperation agenda for the benefit of our peoples. Let’s keep working for a prosperous Venezuela for all!” she said.
How did the sanctions affect Delcy Rodríguez?
Sanctions against the Chavista leader functioned as a personal blockade that paralyzed her ability to interact with the Western financial system.
Because she was included on the Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers, also known as the Clinton List, she was prohibited from conducting any type of commercial or financial transaction with U.S. citizens or companies.
This meant not only the freezing of any accounts or properties under U.S. jurisdiction, but also the inability to use basic services such as international credit cards or U.S.-based software platforms.
Furthermore, the sanctions affected her in the diplomatic and mobility spheres, as they barred her from entering U.S. territory and restricted her travel through other countries that have law enforcement cooperation agreements with Washington.
Sanctions are a hot-button issue among Venezuelans.
The government claims they have been the main cause of the crisis in the country due to the restrictions they have imposed. However, many citizens and NGOs believe that even before the sanctions were imposed, the nation was already facing serious problems due to mismanagement by the authorities.
Featured image: Delcy Rodriguez.
Image credit: Government of Russia via Wikimedia Commons
Caracas, Venezuela — The United States resumed operations at its embassy in Venezuela on Monday after it had been shuttered for seven years.
The announcement follows weeks of rapid rapprochement between the administration of President Donald Trump and the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez, who took power following the U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3.
The U.S. State Department confirmed the move in a statement noting that the resumpt
Caracas, Venezuela — The United States resumed operations at its embassy in Venezuela on Monday after it had been shuttered for seven years.
The announcement follows weeks of rapid rapprochement between the administration of President Donald Trump and the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez, who took power following the U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3.
The U.S. State Department confirmed the move in a statement noting that the resumption of activities marks “a new chapter” in the U.S. diplomatic presence in the country.
“The resumption of operations at U.S. Embassy Caracas is a key milestone in implementing the President’s three‑phase plan for Venezuela and will strengthen our ability to engage directly with Venezuela’s interim government, civil society, and the private sector,” a statement read.
Relations between Washington and Caracas had been suspended since January 2019, when Maduro accused the U.S. government (during Trump’s first presidential term) of “interventionism” for recognizing congressman Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president.
In early March, both administrations formalized the restoration of diplomatic ties.
The diplomatic mission is led by Chargé d’Affaires Laura Dogu, who arrived in Venezuela in January to lead the process. According to the State Department, her team is currently working on restoring the embassy to allow for the full return of staff “as soon as possible” and the resumption of consular services.
In a video message shared on social media, Dogu, said in Spanish, “we’re starting a new chapter in our bilateral relations.”
Desde 2019, el compromiso diplomático de los Estados Unidos con Venezuela se ha llevado a cabo a través de la Oficina Externa de los EE.UU. para Venezuela (VAU) en Bogotá, Colombia. Hoy, estamos reanudando formalmente las operaciones en la Embajada de los Estados Unidos en… pic.twitter.com/apXyeucQ6u
— Embajada de los EE.UU. en Caracas (@usembassyve) March 30, 2026
According to the embassy, the team in Caracas will restore basic diplomatic functions, such as engaging with political actors, civil society, and the private sector, as well as fostering ties between business leaders from both countries.
“We’re just getting started, and there is a lot to do while continuing to execute the three-step plan by the Trump administration,” Dogu said, referring to a plan outlined by the administration in January including “stabilization,” “recovery” and “transition.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently stated that the country has already entered the second phase.
For their part, embassy officials emphasized that the return to Caracas will allow for expanded engagement with various sectors of the country, as well as the creation of employment opportunities within the diplomatic mission.
The reopening comes just days after a delegation, led by Félix Plasencia, Venezuela’s chargé d’affaires, traveled to Washington to meet with U.S. officials and take control of the Venezuelan diplomatic mission in that country, which had remained under the custody of the State Department since 2023.
During the years of diplomatic rupture, U.S. diplomatic activity regarding Venezuela was conducted through an office based at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.
Featured image: Screenshot of Chargé d’Affaires Laura Dogu announcing the reopening of the U.S. embassy in Caracas on social media.
Image credit: Embajada de los EE.UU. en Caracas via X.
Caracas, Venezuela — The cabinet of Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has seen some shake ups in recent days, with the appointments of a handful of new ministers in an apparent attempt to consolidate power just months after her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, was captured by the United States.
The reshuffling of officials in the ministries of Defense, Transportation, Housing, Culture, Electric Power, and Higher Education is a move by Rodríguez to buy time and remain in power l
Caracas, Venezuela — The cabinet of Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has seen some shake ups in recent days, with the appointments of a handful of new ministers in an apparent attempt to consolidate power just months after her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, was captured by the United States.
The reshuffling of officials in the ministries of Defense, Transportation, Housing, Culture, Electric Power, and Higher Education is a move by Rodríguez to buy time and remain in power longer, according to Benigno Alarcón, founder of the Center for Political and Government Studies at Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas.
“I believe that what Delcy Rodríguez is trying to do is a political reshuffle within the government, aiming to stay in power as long as possible so that when an election is held, it will be one that she can control to some extent,” he told Latin America Reports.
Alarcón believes that the roadmap proposed by the Trump administration after its January 3 attacks has not yet entered its most critical phase — a political transition — precisely because of resistance from diehards in the Chavismo movement.
“We are seeing that the political deadlock continues, so we cannot say we are facing a transition at this moment. It is important to remember that [U.S. Secretary of State] Marco Rubio’s plan outlined a three-phase strategy, with the third phase being the transition. Well, clearly we haven’t entered that phase yet, and clearly Delcy Rodríguez is trying to prevent us from entering it,” he commented.
Ministerial changes lacking in scope
The recent appointments do not send a clear signal that a democratic reinstitutionalization is actually taking place in the country, according to the professor, since those who have been named ministers so far are part of the Chavista inner circle.
“What they’re basically doing is placing people whose merits, let’s say, are essentially their closeness to and the trust of those in power, right? In other words, in that sense, nothing has changed; everything remains more or less the same,” he stated.
Alarcón explained that there is a “recycling” of Chavista figures. “Some people from a faction within Chavismo are leaving, and others are coming in — let’s say because in the past they were either marginalized, overlooked, or had their chance and then were left out, and now they’re coming back,” he added.
He juramentado a los integrantes del Alto Mando Militar renovado de nuestra República, quienes asumen con absoluta lealtad y el más alto sentido del deber de defender la soberanía nacional, preservar la paz y resguardar la integridad territorial de Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/mYbEgbWZCj
The engineer Rolando Alcalá as the Minister Energy and Electricity;
Jacqueline Faría as Transport Minister;
Magistrate Carlos Alexis Castillo as the Minister of Social Process of Labor;
Editor Raúl Cazal as Culture Minister;
Professor Ana María Sanjuán as Minister of University Education, Science and Technology.
A clear example of Alarcón’s so-called Chavista recycling is Gustavo González López, who now heads the Ministry of Defense, replacing Vladimir Padrino López — a key figure in Maduro’s government who held that position for over 10 years, making him the longest-serving minister in in that ministry’s history.
Before joining the Ministry of Defense, González López was appointed in January 2026 by Rodríguez to lead the direct security of the presidency and military counterintelligence.
Additionally, in late 2024, he played a key role in the oil industry as Director of Strategic Affairs and Production Control.
The military officer is also known for having led the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) for two terms (2014–2018 and 2019–2024). Under his command, the agency centralized much of the internal political control.
“I believe that what Maduro did at the time was to place, so to speak, the military component in the hands of a general he trusted, Vladimir Padrino López, and leave the military to him, making him a bridge between the civilian political sector and the military sector. Well, at this point, the bridge was changed, so to speak. So now you have González López as Delcy’s right-hand man, because he worked with her in the past, first as director of SEBIN,” Alarcón said.
The reconfiguration of Rodríguez’s cabinet seems to respond more, according to Alarcón, to a strategy of internal protection than to a democratic opening.
While the names in the portfolios are being recycled and the bridges with the military sector are being reinforced with figures of extreme trust, the true transition proposed by the international community remains in limbo.
Featured image: Delcy Rodríguez at a recent naval ceremony.
Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuela’s 3-2 victory over the United States in Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic final has provided a welcome respite for Venezuelans, who have been mired in a severe political, social, and economic crisis for years and have found a moment of joy and pride in winning the world title.
Having not collectively experienced a festive atmosphere for a long time, citizens took to the streets on the night of March 17 to celebrate this major achievement in their sporting histor
Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuela’s 3-2 victory over the United States in Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic final has provided a welcome respite for Venezuelans, who have been mired in a severe political, social, and economic crisis for years and have found a moment of joy and pride in winning the world title.
Having not collectively experienced a festive atmosphere for a long time, citizens took to the streets on the night of March 17 to celebrate this major achievement in their sporting history.
According to experts consulted by Latin American Reports, Venezuela’s victory in one of the world’s most important baseball events represents the most significant milestone in the country’s sporting history, without downplaying all the feats achieved in the past.
Venezuela es el mejor país del MUNDO, por lo tanto tenemos la celebración más épicas y random en este hilo. Comenzamos con ¡Quejesto vale! se montaron solos. pic.twitter.com/yJqpcafdqB
Sports journalist Julio Sorondo believes it is an unparalleled achievement with significant implications. “It’s a title that eluded us for a very long time, and winning it gives the sense that we’ve reached the pinnacle of Venezuelan sports,” he told Latin America Reports.
For his part, his colleague Alfredo Di Cesare believes this achievement marks a turning point in sports, as it secured unqualified glory and confirmed that Venezuela is a baseball powerhouse, joining the tournament’s roster of champions: Japan, with three titles; the Dominican Republic and the United States, with one each.
Experts feel that this title will bring great benefits to the sports sector, especially in terms of mindset. “Sports in Venezuela are facing many problems due to a lack of investment, corruption, and the socioeconomic crisis that is hitting families and spilling over into sports. However, the greatest gift from the feat achieved at LoanDepot Park is the mindset,” said Di Cesare, referring to the ballpark in Miami where the championship game was held.
In this regard, he added, “Every young person who plays a sport saw yesterday that the favorite doesn’t always win. That stars are men who make mistakes, fail, and can strike out three times, just like New York Yankees star Aaron Judge.
“So the greatest legacy this victory will leave for posterity is that the ‘Cinderella’ label should never weigh them down again.”
Sorondo said he feels that baseball, one of the great passions of Venezuelans, will receive a significant boost following the win. “Venezuela not only won the World Baseball Classic yesterday, but also qualified for the next Olympic Games, which will be held in 2028. So, well, over the next five years or the next decade, there’s going to be a lot of talk about baseball. This means that, well, brands will surely also use this sport to target that audience, to promote their products,” he said.
These contributions could also lead to Major League Baseball games or World Baseball Classic matches in Venezuelan stadiums and, above all, cement the passion for this sport in the DNA of the population.
In their analysis of the significance of this achievement, journalists agreed that it serves as a great escape for those who want to step away for a moment from the political and social turmoil the nation is facing.
“When we apply this to the World Baseball Classic, we feel represented by a victorious Venezuela; it’s quite positive, even on a psychological level, to be able to celebrate victories after having gone through such tense times. What we experienced yesterday in the streets of Venezuela was a collective release filled with positivity and joy—something we hadn’t felt in a long time,” said Sorondo, highlighting the irony that the tournament final was against the United States, the country responsible for ousting Nicolás Maduro on January 3.
Di Cesare believes this achievement represents the country’s unity, but also a sense of liberation.
“Venezuela’s first title in the World Baseball Classic is a vindication of destiny; a pat on the back for a people who have spent decades loving, suffering, and waiting for something good. 2026 is turning out to be a year with more good news than bad for Venezuela,” he commented.
Caracas, Venezuela — María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader, says she will return to the country after leaving last December to attend the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway.
Machado, who vocally supported U.S. military attacks on Venezuela ahead of the January 3 operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro, has since been sidelined by the Trump administration who lent its support to Maduro’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
With Machado’s return to Venezu
Caracas, Venezuela — María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader, says she will return to the country after leaving last December to attend the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway.
Machado, who vocally supported U.S. military attacks on Venezuela ahead of the January 3 operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro, has since been sidelined by the Trump administration who lent its support to Maduro’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
With Machado’s return to Venezuela increasingly more likely, her supporters are anxious as to what role — if any — she’ll play in the political transition of the country.
Machado was in hiding inside Venezuela for nearly a year before being spirited away on go-fast boats on a December night with the aid of a non-profit staffed by former U.S. military members.
Analysts who spoke to Latin America Reports said that if she returns and no attempts are made on her life, it could be a clear sign from the Rodríguez government that they are willing to open up political participation in the country.
Alejandro Armas Díaz, a journalist and political researcher, believes that if Machado’s possible return goes smoothly, it will be a giant step forward for the country.
“We are talking about the leader of the majority opposition. On the other hand, if she returns but suffers any reprisals, it would be an equally big setback,” he told Latin America Reports.
Historian and political analyst Alejandra Martínez Cánchica, director for Latin America at the Freedom and Development Foundation, agrees. She believes that Machado’s return is a litmus test to show whether Venezuela is truly in a process of transition.
She told Latin America Reports that the politician’s safe return would be “the definitive proof that Venezuela is indeed on a path towards a democratic transition.”
Alejandro Armas Díaz via LinkedIn.
U.S. pressure, said Armas, could also force the Venezuelan government to create the right conditions for her return.
“In Venezuela, we have seen changes that until recently were unthinkable. The source of these changes is pressure from the United States,” Armas said. “Will Washington push for Machado to be able to return without any problems? We don’t know. It may not. It may consider that it is better to leave it for later, when the country is more stable.”
The U.S. has formulated a three-stage plan for Venezuela, with stabilisation and economic recovery coming before political transition.
“Given that Machado has suggested that her return is imminent, we will know sooner rather than later whether she [Machado] will actually do so. I find it hard to believe that she will do so without certain guarantees,” Armas added. “If she does not, it could cause some disappointment among her supporters, for announcing something she could not do.”
Martínez sees this as an ideal moment for the opposition leader’s return.
“Since at least mid or late January of this year, we have been seeing political leaders and activists in Venezuela take to the streets to engage in politics. Many were in hiding, many were imprisoned, and they are now protected under the Amnesty Law,” she said, referring to a law that frees political prisoners, but has also been criticized as exclusionary.
María Corina Machado’s leadership would be strengthened
Experts agree that one inevitable effect if Machado returned would be an even greater appreciation from her base.
Martínez said that María Corina “still has the majority preference among the population and also continues to have the highest voting intention … So, the fact that she can come to Venezuela to engage in politics on the ground will undoubtedly reconfigure the balance of power and the Venezuelan political map.”
The analyst cited a poll from Gold Glove Consulting, which estimates that the Venezuelan opposition leader has a mathematical advantage of 67% over interim President Rodríguez, should elections be held in the coming months.
Alejandra Martínez Cánchica via LinkedIn
She also said that Machado’s return could help her recapture her political base which helped her win 92% of votes during the 2023 primaries and — after he was sidelined by Maduro — helped propel her candidate, Edmundo González, to win disputed 2024 elections, according to voter tallies published by the opposition.
“In January-February 2023, the political landscape in Venezuela, at least on the opposition side, was completely deserted. There was great demoralization, people were demobilized. And yet, from the beginning of 2023, María Corina fuelled a movement within Venezuelan society that by July 2024, a year and a half later, was an unstoppable force,” Martínez added.
Returning from exile too, could help shore up her image among voters, said Armas.
“Many people are left with the impression that [those in exile] have comfortable lives while the masses in Venezuela continue to suffer. This is not necessarily the case in reality, but that is the impression that, I repeat, remains. So it is in Machado’s best interest to return to the country as soon as possible. Whether she can do so is another matter,” he said.
Featured image: María Corina Machado and former presidential candidate Edmundo González in 2024.
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