The United States has started releasing Venezuelan funds that were frozen under sanctions, according to interim president Delcy Rodríguez. Speaking on state television from Caracas, Rodríguez said the assets owned by the Venezuelan people are being gradually freed and will be used to purchase medical equipment for hospitals from the United States and other countries. She did not specify the total amount being released.

Venezuela has been under strict US sanctions since 2019, following the disputed 2018 re-election of former president Nicolás Maduro. During Donald Trump’s first term, Washington froze large sums of Venezuelan assets abroad, which Maduro in 2022 claimed totaled about 30 billion dollars. After Maduro was ousted in a US military operation on January 3, Rodríguez’s interim government reached several agreements with Washington. Rodríguez said a framework of mutual respect and courtesy has been established with President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

As another sign of improving ties, the US announced that former diplomat Laura F. Dogu will serve as chargé d’affaires in Venezuela, marking a step toward restoring full diplomatic relations severed in 2019.