Documents and law enforcement sources show Delcy RodriguezVenezuela’s acting president has been on the DEA’s radar for years and was labeled a “priority target” in 2022, even while serving as president Donald Trump Praising her as an important partner of the United States in the post-crisis eraNicolás Maduro Venezuela.
DEA documents reveal long-running investigation
Over the weekend, DEA records obtained by The Associated Press showed that the agency had maintained a detailed intelligence file on Rodriguez since at least 2018, outlining alleged ties to drug trafficking, gold smuggling and money laundering.
In 2021, a confidential informant told agents that Rodriguez used hotels in Margarita Island, Venezuela, as a front for money laundering.
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Records show Rodriguez’s name appears in nearly a dozen DEA investigations across the Americas and the United States, including in connection with Maduro’s alleged fixer Alex Saab, who was arrested in 2020 on money laundering charges.
Three current and former Drug Enforcement Administration agents who reviewed the documents said the agency’s interest in Rodriguez grew as she rose to power.
Trump praises Rodriguez despite DEA review
Since Maduro’s arrest, Trump has repeatedly praised Rodriguez, calling her a “terrific person” and saying she remains in close contact with U.S. officials.
“Her status is rising, so it’s not surprising that she might be a priority target,” said Kurt Lenkenheimera former federal prosecutor in Miami.
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He added, “The problem is, when people are talking about you and you become a high-priority target, there’s a difference between that and evidence supporting a prosecution.”
The U.S. government has never publicly accused Rodriguez of wrongdoing, and she is not among the Venezuelan officials charged alongside Maduro.
Delcy Rodriguez and the White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
Trump’s Venezuela oil claims and military action
Last week, President Trump said the United States had begun receiving large quantities of oil from Venezuela following a “flawless” operation to capture Maduro, claiming the deliveries would help lower fuel prices.
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Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance Cast the decisive vote to kill a Senate resolution that would have required Trump to seek congressional approval before taking further military action against Venezuela.
At the beginning of this month, Rodriguez Maduro and his wife were asked to provide proof of life after the strike.
Trump also hinted that the United States may consider a second military intervention in Venezuela, hinted that Colombia and Mexico may take action if their governments do not cooperate with U.S. goals, and warned that Rodriguez could face a worse fate than Maduro.
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This article Trump calls Venezuela’s Delsie Rodriguez a ‘wonderful person’ — DEA documents reportedly show she’s been targeted for money laundering since 2018, originally published on Benzinga.com
