The United States has lifted sanctions on Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez. The move comes less than three months after US forces seized the country's previous leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife in a military raid in Caracas and took them to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Rodríguez, a close ally of Maduro who served as his vice-president, had been placed on the sanctions list in 2018, with the US accusing her of undermining democracy. She was sworn in as interim president by Venezuela's National Assembly, which is dominated by Maduro loyalists, days after the US raid and has been described by US President Donald Trump as 'a terrific person'. Rodríguez welcomed her removal from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List, highlighting it as 'a significant step in the right direction to normalize and strengthen relations between our countries.' Although the lifting of sanctions indicates a warming relationship between the Trump administration and Rodríguez's team, critics insist that the US should focus on ensuring the release of political prisoners held in Venezuela's jails. Political activists argue the US must leverage its influence to facilitate democratization in Venezuela, especially with nearly 500 political prisoners still behind bars. As diplomatic channels open, including the reopening of US and Venezuelan embassies, the situation remains fluid with calls for free and fair elections continuing to emerge.