The Trump administration has formally notified the U.S. justice system of its official recognition of Delcy Rodriguez as the president of Venezuela, a move that carries significant implications for the ongoing criminal trial of former leader Nicolas Maduro.
In a letter sent Wednesday to a federal court in New York, the State Department clarified that Rodriguez is now considered the sole head of state capable of acting on behalf of the Venezuelan government.
The notification, authored by Michael Kozak of the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, was directed to Prosecutor Jay Clayton. The document serves as a legal anchor following President Donald Trump’s weekend announcement that Washington had recognized the Rodriguez administration.
The shift comes just days after the two nations restored diplomatic relations on March 5, ending a frost that had seen ties severed since 2019.
This formal recognition is expected to severely undermine the legal defense of Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces in Caracas on Jan. 3.
Maduro, currently facing trial in New York for alleged narcoterrorism, has attempted to claim sovereign immunity and requested that his defense be funded by the Venezuelan state.
However, the State Department’s letter reiterated that the U.S. has not recognized Maduro as a legitimate leader since January 2019 and continues to view him as an “accused narcoterrorist” awaiting judgment in a federal court.
Trump’s recognition of Delcy Rodriguez as President of Venezuela is strategic
U.S. officials described the recognition of Rodriguez as part of a strategic, gradual process intended to create the necessary conditions for a peaceful transition toward a democratically elected government.
The administration’s current approach mirrors the 2019 recognition of Juan Guaido but carries more weight following the restoration of direct diplomatic channels and the presence of high-level U.S. officials, such as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, in recent meetings with the Rodriguez cabinet.
While the recognition facilitates the management of Venezuelan assets abroad and clarifies legal standing in international courts, the Trump administration says that its ultimate goal remains a free electoral process.
For now, the legal notification effectively shuts the door on Maduro’s attempts to use state resources for his defense, solidifying the Rodriguez administration’s status as the only recognized authority in the eyes of the U.S. executive and judicial branches.