Venezuela interim president Delcy Rodríguez was DEA ‘precedence goal’

[ad_1] NEW Now you can hearken to Fox Information articles!

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez has appeared in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intelligence information courting again a number of years and was labeled a "precedence goal" in 2022, in accordance with paperwork obtained by The Related Press.

The paperwork present the DEA has intelligence information on Rodríguez going again to at the least 2018, along with her identify showing in a number of investigations throughout a number of U.S. and worldwide subject workplaces, although she has by no means been publicly accused of any felony wrongdoing, the outlet reported.

The DEA didn't instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.

The "precedence goal" designation is utilized by the company to focus investigative sources on people or organizations believed to play a big position in main drug trafficking or cash laundering operations affecting america, according to a 2008 DEA evaluation.

VENEZUELA’S ACTING PRESIDENT TOUTS ‘NEW POLITICAL MOMENT,’ HINTS AT FURTHER RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Delcy Rodríguez attend Maduro’s second-term swearing-in ceremony at Congress in Caracas on Could 24, 2018. (Federico Parra/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Rodríguez was formally sworn in as Venezuela's new chief on Jan. 5, simply two days after U.S. forces extracted Nicolás Maduro and his spouse Cilia Flores from their compound in Caracas in an early-morning navy operation.

Maduro and Flores have been taken into U.S. custody and flown to New York to face federal prices.

Maduro is charged with 4 counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and damaging gadgets, and conspiracy to own machine-guns and damaging gadgets. His spouse is charged with three counts: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and damaging gadgets, and conspiracy to own machine-guns and damaging gadgets.

TRUMP PLANS TO MEET WITH VENEZUELA OPPOSITION LEADER MARIA CORINA MACHADO NEXT WEEK

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/343/192/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/686/384/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/672/378/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1344/756/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/931/523/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1862/1046/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/720/405/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1440/810/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-010.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 5: Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, are seen in handcuffs after touchdown at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by closely armed Federal brokers as they make their method into an armored automobile en path to a Federal courthouse in Manhattan on January 5, 2026 in New York Metropolis. (XNY/Star Max/GC Photos)

The White Home has been working with Rodríguez in the weeks since Maduro was ousted. President Donald Trump informed reporters within the Oval Workplace on Wednesday that he spoke with Rodríguez by telephone and praised her as a "terrific particular person."

"We mentioned a whole lot of issues and I believe we’re getting along very well with Venezuela ," he stated.

Venezuelan opposition chief María Corina Machado criticized Rodríguez because the Trump administration engages with the Maduro ally, arguing she doesn't signify the Venezuelan folks.

Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez speaks throughout the presentation of the 2025 price range invoice on the Nationwide Meeting in Caracas on Dec. 3, 2024. (Juan Barreto/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"I wish to insist on this: Delcy Rodríguez, sure, she’s a communist. She’s the principle ally and illustration of the Russian regime, the Chinese language and the Iranians, however that’s not the Venezuelan folks and that’s not the armed forces, as properly," Machado said at a Heritage Basis occasion on Friday.

"So I'm profoundly, profoundly assured that we'll have an orderly transition. This can be a advanced part we're in proper now. A few of the soiled work is being executed by them," she added. "However then, the results of a steady transition might be a proud Venezuela who's going to be the very best ally america has ever had within the Americas."