Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who has been cooperating with the United States since the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro, is among a dozen investigations by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), some of which are still ongoing.
The Associated Press reports this, citing secret DEA documents and information from its own sources in law enforcement agencies.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration has had a dossier on Rodriguez since at least 2018, detailing her alleged involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering, and gold smuggling. It also lists her known associates.
In 2022, Rodriguez was even designated a “priority target” — a status given to suspects who have “significant influence” on drug trafficking.
In particular, according to one anonymous informant, in early 2021 Rodriguez used hotels on the resort island of Margarita as a front for money laundering. The island is considered by the US to be a strategic hub for drug trafficking to the Caribbean and Europe.
Rodriguez has also been linked to the corruption schemes of Colombian businessman and close associate of Nicolas Maduro, Alex Saaba. In 2020, he was arrested in the United States on charges of money laundering through government contracts.
At the same time, journalists noted that the US authorities have never publicly brought criminal charges against Delcy Rodriguez, even though she is also part of Maduroʼs inner circle. Her name is not on the list of Venezuelan officials who have been officially accused of drug trafficking.
And President Donald Trump personally praised Rodriguez after Maduroʼs arrest and called her a "wonderful person".
According to the AP, the investigation into the current leader of Venezuela was conducted by an elite DEA unit — the same structure that prepared the evidence base for Maduroʼs arrest.
US operation in Venezuela
On the night of January 3, the United States, acting on the orders of Donald Trump, struck several military targets in Caracas, Venezuela. In total, at least 11 targets were hit, including the parliament building, air bases, and a seaport.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared a state of emergency across the country. He and his wife Cilia Flores were later arrested and deported to the United States. Both were charged with narcoterrorism, cocaine importation, illegal possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy against the United States.
The Supreme Court of Venezuela appointed Delcy Rodriguez as the interim head of state. And on the evening of January 3, Nicolas Maduro was taken to the federal detention center, the Metropolitan Detention Center, in New York.
The first trial of Maduro and his wife took place in New York on January 5. The next one is scheduled for March 17.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said 100 people were killed in the U.S. operation on January 3. Venezuelan officials said a large part of Maduroʼs security service was "killed in cold blood", while Cuba said 32 of its soldiers and intelligence officers were killed in Venezuela, and their bodies have been returned.
On January 10, Donald Trump said that the United States is ready to sell Venezuelan oil to Russia, China and other countries. According to him, buyers will be able to receive oil in any volume.
Already on January 15, CNN, citing sources, wrote that the United States had for the first time officially sold oil from Venezuela for $500 million.
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