Trump Called Venezuela's Delcy Rodríguez A 'Terrific Person' — DEA Files Reportedly Show Her As Target For Money Laundering Since 2018

Trump Called Venezuela's Delcy Rodríguez A 'Terrific Person' — DEA Files Reportedly Show Her As Target For Money Laundering Since 2018

Snigdha Gairola

Wed, January 21, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC

3 min read

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Documents and law enforcement sources show Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting president, has been on the DEA's radar for years and was labeled a "priority target" in 2022, even as President Donald Trump praises her as a key U.S. partner in post-Nicolás Maduro Venezuela.

DEA Files Reveal Long-Running Investigation

Over the weekend, DEA records obtained by The Associated Press showed the agency had maintained a detailed intelligence file on Rodríguez since at least 2018, cataloging alleged links to drug trafficking, gold smuggling and money laundering.

One confidential informant told agents in 2021 that Rodríguez used hotels on Venezuela's Isla Margarita as fronts to launder money.

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The records show Rodríguez's name has surfaced in nearly a dozen DEA investigations across the Americas and the United States, including ties to Maduro's alleged bag man, Alex Saab, arrested in 2020 on money laundering charges.

Three current and former DEA agents who reviewed the documents said the agency's interest in Rodríguez grew alongside her rise to power.

Trump Praises Rodríguez Despite DEA Scrutiny

Trump has repeatedly praised Rodríguez since Maduro's capture, calling her a "terrific person" and saying she is in close contact with U.S. officials.

"She was on the rise, so it's not surprising that she might become a high-priority target," said Kurt Lunkenheimer, a former federal prosecutor in Miami.

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He added, "The issue is when people talk about you and you become a high-priority target, there's a difference between that and evidence supporting an indictment."

The U.S. government has never publicly accused Rodríguez of wrongdoing, and she is not among the Venezuelan officials charged alongside Maduro.

Delcy Rodríguez and The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.

Trump's Venezuela Oil Claims And Military Actions

Last week, President Trump said the U.S. had begun receiving large oil shipments from Venezuela after a "flawless" operation that captured Maduro, and he claimed the deliveries would help lower fuel prices.

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At the same time, Vice President J.D. Vance cast the deciding vote to defeat a Senate resolution that would have required Trump to seek congressional approval before taking further military action in Venezuela.

Earlier this month, Rodríguez demanded proof of life for Maduro and his wife after the strike.

Trump also suggested the U.S. might consider a second military intervention in Venezuela and hinted at possible actions in Colombia and Mexico if their governments did not cooperate with U.S. goals, warning that Rodríguez could face a fate worse than Maduro's.

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This article Trump Called Venezuela's Delcy Rodríguez A 'Terrific Person' — DEA Files Reportedly Show Her As Target For Money Laundering Since 2018 originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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