The Government headed by Delcy Rodríguez and the legal team of a part of the Venezuelan opposition, specifically that linked to the 2015 National Assembly, informed a New York court that they are coordinating the legal representation of the country in the United States to defend Venezuela’s assets in the United States.
This Monday, Judge Sarah Netburn agreed to temporarily pause one of the cases involving Venezuelan assets in the United States, while it is defined which law firm will officially represent the country in court.
Since 2019, when Washington recognized the interim government of the opposition (then led by Juan Guaidó) as legitimate, this sector controlled Venezuela’s assets in US territory and assumed its legal representation. However, after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, the administration of President Donald Trump changed its position and recognized Delcy Rodríguez, former vice president, as the new president in charge and “sole head of state” of Venezuela.
This decision has generated uncertainty about who will control the country’s legal defense in the United States — which affects dozens of creditors, including funds holding bonds in default, companies with arbitration awards and victims with sentences for terrorism — and, especially, control of CITGO, PDVSA’s subsidiary refinery in the United States.
In mid-March, Judge Netburn, of the Southern District of New York, indicated that the court must resolve who are the lawyers authorized to represent Venezuelan entities and requested the intervention of the US Government.
The Justice Department responded by stating that Washington has “normalized” relations with Venezuela under the leadership of Delcy Rodríguez, whom it recognizes as the only person with the capacity to act on behalf of the country.
The coordination was evident in a letter dated April 3, 2026 sent by the firms White & Case, León Cosgrove Jiménez and Kellner Herlihy Getty & Friedman to Judge Netburn. In it they request a 45-day suspension to allow clients to appoint permanent attorneys, while guaranteeing the “continuity and protection” of Venezuela’s interests and assets.
Citgo, based in Houston (Texas), is the most valuable asset of PDVSA and the Venezuelan State abroad. For this reason, it is at the center of multiple debt enforcement trials and arbitration awards. Until now, the US Treasury Department has kept it protected by not licensing it for sale or transfer to creditors.
