DEA Records Show Longstanding U.S. Interest in Delcy Rodríguez
AP-obtained DEA records show Delcy Rodríguez was designated a 2022 'priority target'; investigations since 2018 link her to drug trafficking, money laundering and corrupt networks.
Overview
AP-obtained DEA files show Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting president and former vice president, was labeled a 2022 'priority target' in long-running investigations.
Records catalog allegations from drug trafficking to gold smuggling, money laundering via Isla Margarita hotels, and ties to Alex Saab and other Maduro-era associates.
DEA interest dates to at least 2018, involving field offices from Paraguay and Ecuador to Phoenix and New York; some investigations remain ongoing.
President Donald Trump publicly praised Rodríguez after Maduro's capture, offering her a role in post-Maduro Venezuela despite DEA scrutiny and past U.S. sanctions.
Documents underscore U.S. leverage and legal ambiguity: being a 'priority target' signals agency interest but does not equal criminal charges or proven guilt.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Rodríguez as a suspect under long-standing U.S. scrutiny by foregrounding DEA records and skeptical expert voices while juxtaposing Trump’s praise. Editorial choices—loaded phrases like "cloud of suspicion," emphasis on a "priority target" label, selective sourcing from former DEA agents and anti‑Maduro experts—accent allegations while noting lack of public charges.
Sources (3)
FAQ
The DEA records allege her involvement in drug trafficking, gold smuggling, money laundering through hotels on Isla Margarita, and ties to corrupt networks including Alex Saab and associates like Omar Nassif-Sruji.
DEA interest dates back to at least 2018, with investigations involving field offices in Paraguay, Ecuador, Phoenix, and New York, some of which remain ongoing.
No, the U.S. government has never publicly accused her of criminal wrongdoing or filed charges; she is a 'priority target' indicating interest but not proven guilt.
Alex Saab is Maduro’s alleged bag man, arrested in 2020 on U.S. money laundering charges; DEA records link Rodríguez to him as recently as last year.
It signals strong agency interest and ongoing investigations but does not equate to criminal charges or proven guilt, providing U.S. leverage amid legal ambiguity.
History
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