Documents obtained by The Associated Press reveal the DEA opened an intelligence file on Delcy Rodríguez as early as 2018 and designated her a "priority target" in 2022. The files allege possible links to money laundering, ties to Alex Saab and government contracts tied to close associates, including companies that received more than $650 million in contracts. While Rodríguez has not been publicly charged, the records underscore a tension between long‑running law enforcement scrutiny and recent U.S. political engagement.
AP Documents: DEA Treated Venezuelan Leader Delcy Rodríguez As A 'Priority Target' — Years of Surveillance Detailed
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez arrives at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
WASHINGTON — Documents obtained by The Associated Press and interviews with current and former U.S. law enforcement officials show that Delcy Rodríguez, who became acting president of Venezuela earlier this month, has been the subject of sustained Drug Enforcement Administration scrutiny dating back to at least 2018.
DEA File And 'Priority Target' Designation
The records indicate the DEA opened a comprehensive intelligence file on Rodríguez in 2018 and elevated her to a "priority target" in 2022 — a label the agency reserves for suspects believed capable of having a significant impact on the drug trade. The designation can unlock additional investigative resources, though it does not itself constitute evidence of criminal guilt.
Allegations, Associates And Specific Leads
The files catalog alleged links between Rodríguez and a range of illicit activity, naming known associates and reporting claims that span drug trafficking, gold smuggling and money laundering. One confidential informant told agents in early 2021 that hotels on the Caribbean resort of Isla Margarita were being used "as a front to launder money," though the AP has not independently verified that allegation.
Rodríguez was also repeatedly linked in records to Alex Saab, the businessman accused by U.S. prosecutors of serving as a financial fixer for Nicolás Maduro; Saab was arrested in 2020 on money‑laundering charges and later pardoned in 2023 as part of a prisoner swap, a move noted in the documents.
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez smiles while delivering a statement at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Investigations Across The Hemisphere
The AP found Rodríguez’s name appearing across nearly a dozen DEA probes handled by field offices from Paraguay and Ecuador to Phoenix and New York. Three current and former DEA agents who reviewed the records for the AP said they reflect sustained agency interest throughout Rodríguez’s vice presidency, which began in 2018. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing investigations.
Business Ties Under Scrutiny
The documents show investigators tracking government contracts connected to Rodríguez’s circle, including deals involving Omar Nassif‑Sruji, the brother of Rodríguez’s longtime partner Yussef Nassif. Publicly available contract records obtained by investigative outlet Armando.info indicate companies registered by the Nassif brothers in Hong Kong received more than $650 million in Venezuelan government contracts from 2017 to 2019. The Nassifs did not respond to requests for comment.
Political Context And U.S. Response
Despite years of DEA interest, no U.S. agency has publicly charged Rodríguez with criminal wrongdoing. She was sanctioned by the White House in September 2018 and by the European Union for her role in consolidating Maduro’s control, but those actions focused on threats to democracy rather than specific corruption charges. The DEA and the Justice Department declined to comment on the AP findings.
The documents come amid a shift in U.S. political posture: following the reported capture of Maduro, then‑President Donald Trump publicly praised Rodríguez and described her as a potential partner in stabilizing Venezuela — remarks that contrast with the steady law enforcement attention documented in the files.
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez makes a statement to the press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
What The Records Do — And Don’t — Show
"Being designated a 'priority target' signals that an individual is of investigative interest, but it does not equate to an indictment," said Kurt Lunkenheimer, a former federal prosecutor in Miami. ‘‘There’s a difference between being talked about and having evidence to support an indictment.’"
The AP was unable to determine the exact focus or current status of each investigation named in the files. Many allegations cited in the records remain unproven and stem from confidential sources or preliminary intelligence, which the AP could not independently confirm.
Why This Matters
These files illuminate how U.S. law enforcement has monitored a senior Venezuelan official who is simultaneously being courted by American political actors — underscoring tensions between diplomatic outreach and long‑running investigative interest. Observers say the files give U.S. authorities leverage and highlight entrenched concerns about corruption and illicit finance within Venezuela’s inner circle.
— Mustian reported from New York.
Contact AP’s global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or submit tips at https://www.ap.org/tips/.
This story is part of an ongoing collaboration between The Associated Press and FRONTLINE (PBS) that includes an upcoming documentary.
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