Trump administration requests immunity for Venezuela's Delcy Rodríguez in US civil case

The Trump administration formally requested that a federal court in Florida grant immunity to Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president of Venezuela, in a civil lawsuit brought by three US citizens alleging torture and kidnapping. Source: CNN, ABC

What happened

On July 11, the State Department's legal adviser Reed Rubinstein sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Brett Shumate, asking the Justice Department to file a suggestion of immunity for Rodríguez. The DOJ complied, arguing that as a sitting head of state recognized by Washington since March 5, 2026, she is immune from US court jurisdiction while in office. Source: Infobae, Elespanol

The case stems from a lawsuit by Jerrel Kenemore, Jason Saad, and Edgar Marval, who claim they were kidnapped and tortured by Venezuelan security forces. On July 15, a federal judge ordered $314 million in damages against Nicolás Maduro, Alex Saab, and others, but explicitly excluded Rodríguez. Source: ABC, Excelsior

A conditional shield

The immunity is temporary: it applies only while Rodríguez remains in office. The DOJ asked that claims be dismissed "without prejudice," allowing them to be refiled after she leaves power. Source: ABC, Euronews Notably, the US still denies immunity to Maduro, whose trial for narcoterrorism is set for June 1, 2027. Source: Elespanol

Reactions

Venezuelan opposition figures express indignation. Former governor César Pérez Vivas called it "a reward for her cooperation" and stressed that immunity is not impunity. Source: ABC Political analyst José Vicente Carrasquel noted that the protection is "temporary" and does not exonerate her. Source: ABC

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is reportedly planning Venezuelan elections within a year, using Rodríguez as a stabilizing figure. Source: ABC A parallel criminal investigation by the DEA remains active. Source: ABC