Venezuela’s acting leader was once a DEA 'priority target': report

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez has appeared successful U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) quality files dating backmost respective years and was labeled a "priority target" successful 2022, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The documents amusement the DEA has quality files connected Rodríguez going backmost to astatine slightest 2018, with her sanction appearing successful aggregate investigations crossed respective U.S. and planetary tract offices, though she has ne'er been publically accused of immoderate transgression wrongdoing, the outlet reported.

The DEA did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.

The "priority target" designation is utilized by the bureau to absorption investigative resources connected individuals oregon organizations believed to play a important relation successful large cause trafficking oregon wealth laundering operations affecting the United States, according to a 2008 DEA assessment.

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

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Delcy Rodríguez be Maduro’s second-term swearing-in ceremonial astatine Congress successful Caracas connected May 24, 2018. (Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images)

Rodríguez was formally sworn successful arsenic Venezuela's caller person connected Jan. 5, conscionable 2 days aft U.S. forces extracted Nicolás Maduro and his woman Cilia Flores from their compound successful Caracas successful an early-morning subject operation.

Maduro and Flores were taken into U.S. custody and flown to New York to look national charges.

Maduro is charged with 4 counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to person machine-guns and destructive devices. His woman is charged with 3 counts: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to person machine-guns and destructive devices.

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

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 5: Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are seen successful handcuffs aft landing astatine a Manhattan helipad, escorted by heavy equipped Federal agents arsenic they marque their mode into an armored car en way to a Federal courthouse successful Manhattan connected January 5, 2026 successful New York City. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images)

The White House has been moving with Rodríguez successful the weeks since Maduro was ousted. President Donald Trump told reporters successful the Oval Office connected Wednesday that helium spoke with Rodríguez by telephone and praised her arsenic a "terrific person."

"We discussed a batch of things and I deliberation we’re getting on precise good with Venezuela," helium said.

Venezuelan absorption person María Corina Machado criticized Rodríguez arsenic the Trump medication engages with the Maduro ally, arguing she does not correspond the Venezuelan people.

Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez speaks during the presumption of the 2025 fund measure astatine the National Assembly successful Caracas connected Dec. 3, 2024. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

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"I privation to importune connected this: Delcy Rodríguez, yes, she’s a communist. She’s the main state and practice of the Russian regime, the Chinese and the Iranians, but that’s not the Venezuelan radical and that’s not the equipped forces, arsenic well," Machado said astatine a Heritage Foundation lawsuit connected Friday.

"So I americium profoundly, profoundly assured that we volition person an orderly transition. This is simply a analyzable signifier we are successful close now. Some of the soiled enactment is being done by them," she added. "But then, the effect of a unchangeable modulation volition beryllium a arrogant Venezuela who is going to beryllium the champion state the United States has ever had successful the Americas."