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The United States has removed sanctions on Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, signaling a dramatic thaw in relations less than three months after US forces captured former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a raid in Caracas.

Rodríguez’s Rise and Sanctions Removal

Rodríguez, a longtime ally and former vice president under Maduro, had been on the US sanctions list since 2018 for actions deemed to undermine democracy. She was sworn in as interim president by Maduro-loyalist lawmakers in Venezuela’s National Assembly days after the US raid, and President Donald Trump has described her as “a terrific person.”

The lifting of sanctions removes restrictions on Rodríguez’s US-based assets and allows American citizens and businesses to engage with her directly. Rodríguez hailed the move on X, calling it “a significant step in the right direction to normalize and strengthen relations between our countries.”

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly emphasized that the decision reflected progress toward “stability, economic recovery, and political reconciliation” in Venezuela, adding that Rodríguez “is doing a great job and working with the United States very well.”

Opposition Voices Concern

Not all reactions were positive. Opposition activists in Caracas criticized the move, arguing that the US should maintain pressure on Rodríguez to release remaining political prisoners—a demand previously emphasized by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

While hundreds of detainees were freed under an amnesty law passed by the National Assembly, rights group Foro Penal reports that roughly 500 political prisoners remain in Venezuelan jails.

Diplomatic Moves Signal Warming Ties

The sanctions removal accompanies a broader diplomatic thaw. The US reopened its embassy in Caracas for the first time in seven years, while a Venezuelan diplomatic team was dispatched to restore operations in Washington. High-level US delegations have also been negotiating expanded access to Venezuela’s oil and mineral resources.

Despite these developments, critics note that there has been limited discussion about holding democratic elections. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, in exile after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, met with Rubio this week, praising his “dedication to democracy, freedom, and Venezuelans’ well-being.”

Rubio told Fox News that Venezuela has entered the second phase of US policy: recovery. He stressed that a transition and free, fair elections remain necessary, though no timeline was provided.