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Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez has been in the DEA's sights for years

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez has been in the DEA's sights for years

Boris Bodnar Journalist

18 January 2026, 15:00

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez has been in the DEA's sights for years — Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez Photo AP Ariana Cubillos

Documents show that since 2018, the US Drug Enforcement Administration has been compiling a dossier on Delcy Rodriguez on suspicion of drug trafficking, money laundering and gold smuggling.

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez has been under scrutiny by the US Drug Enforcement Administration for several years, according to an Associated Press investigation published on 17 January. According to the agency, US law enforcement agencies have compiled an extensive dossier dating back to at least 2018, covering a number of incidents and a circle of possible accomplices.

In 2022, Rodriguez was given "priority target" status. The DEA applies this category to individuals who may have a significant impact on international drug trafficking. At the same time, the published documents do not reveal the circumstances that led to this decision.

The materials contain allegations ranging from drug trafficking to gold smuggling. In particular, one confidential informant reported in early 2021 that Rodriguez allegedly used hotels in the Isla Margarita resort as a cover for money laundering. According to US estimates, this island is of strategic importance for illegal transport routes in the Caribbean and to Europe.

The dossier also mentions Rodriguez's possible connection to businessman Alex Saab, a close associate of Nicolas Maduro, who was arrested by US authorities in 2020 on money laundering charges. Despite this, the US government has not publicly brought criminal charges against Rodriguez.

Source and photo: Associated Press,

United States, Rodriguez, Venezuela, Maduro

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