The Daily Journal.- The U.S. government announced Wednesday that it had lifted sanctions against Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly. According to a statement from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the agency removed Rodríguez’s name from its sanctions list.
The Treasury Department initially placed Rodríguez on its sanctions list on September 25, 2018. At the time, he served as minister of Communication and Information under Nicolás Maduro’s government. The sanctions also targeted his sister, Delcy Rodríguez; Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores; and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. The measures stemmed from Executive Order 13692, which Barack Obama signed in 2015, authorizing sanctions against officials accused of undermining Venezuelan democracy, violating human rights, and engaging in corruption.
The United States lifted individual sanctions against Delcy Rodríguez on April 1 of this year, approximately six and a half months before removing those against her brother. Washington had previously also eased sanctions on the Central Bank of Venezuela and state-owned airline Conviasa.
The sanctions relief comes as Jorge Rodríguez serves as the government’s chief negotiator in U.S.-backed talks on Venezuela’s political transition. The process began in August of this year. Rodríguez leads the government delegation, while former lawmaker Dinorah Figuera heads the opposition delegation. The negotiating agenda includes restructuring the National Electoral Council, reforming the Supreme Court of Justice, and guaranteeing political rights.
Jorge Rodríguez, 60, is the brother of Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, and has served as president of the National Assembly since 2021. He secured reelection in January of this year. Before entering politics, he practiced psychiatry. He began his public career under Hugo Chávez’s government and has held several positions, including president of the National Electoral Council, vice president of Venezuela, and mayor of Caracas.
