United States removes Jorge Rodríguez from sanctions list

The U.S. government on Wednesday, October 14, removed Jorge Rodríguez from the sanctions list administered by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Rodríguez heads Venezuela’s National Assembly and is the brother of Delcy Rodríguez, who became the country’s acting president. The decision removes the specific restrictions tied to that listing but does not amount to a general repeal of U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela.

Jorge Rodríguez had been designated in September 2018 during Donald Trump’s first term. His removal from the register ends the financial restrictions associated with that measure, including those affecting transactions by U.S. citizens and entities with listed people. The change concerns sanctions directed at Rodríguez; it does not by itself determine the scope of other measures that may remain in force or automatically alter them.

The announcement comes during a period of change in relations between Washington and Caracas. After Nicolás Maduro left power, Delcy Rodríguez became acting president and held contacts with the Trump administration aimed at advancing bilateral agreements. Issues discussed include Venezuela’s oil industry and the participation of foreign companies. In April, the United States had also removed Delcy Rodríguez from its sanctions list, another change in its treatment of Venezuelan officials.

The Treasury Department did not publicly explain why it removed Jorge Rodríguez from the register or say whether the measure resulted from diplomatic talks, specific commitments or other criteria. The announcement therefore confirms the lifting of restrictions associated with his designation but does not establish what considerations motivated the decision. The removal also does not, by itself, lift sanctions on Venezuela generally: its direct scope is limited to Rodríguez and the measure imposed on him.