US lifts sanctions on head of Venezuela legislature

US President Donald Trump's ​administration has lifted sanctions ​on Jorge Rodriguez, the ‌head of ​Venezuela's National Assembly and the brother of the nation's president, a notice ‌posted on the US Treasury Department's website showed on Wednesday. The Venezuelan communications ministry, which handles all press queries for the government, ‌did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jorge Rodriguez ‌has led the Venezuelan legislature since 2021. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez took power earlier this year after the US ousted then-President Nicolas Maduro, ⁠who ​is now awaiting ⁠trial on US charges. Since then, Caracas and Washington have cut a ⁠deal that gives the US access to 17 oilfields, while international ​energy firms have separately committed to expanding projects in the Latin ⁠American country.

In August, Trump announced a plan to secure direct ⁠US ​access to a large share of Venezuela's vast oil to refill the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Rodriguez, along with his ⁠sister, is expected to spearhead moves to modify oil legislation to ⁠allow ⁠the presence of additional foreign companies, sources have told Reuters.