The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, plans to run in the next presidential elections of the South American country, for which there is still no date, according to the documentation registered by his lawyer in USA.
Rodríguez registered on Tuesday the lawyer Jihad Smaili, with an office in California, to represent her before the US justice system, according to the Foreign Registry Agents (FARA), which US law requires of lobbyists who work in the country for foreign people or governments.
According to that document, Smaili will represent Rodríguez in pending and future litigation related to the state oil company Pdvsa, its subsidiary Citgo and creditor claims.
The lawyer will also provide daily advice on matters related to the White House and the Department of State, including recommendations to “strengthen and promote the relationship for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.”
The contract also includes services related to “the future political campaign”, that is, “its participation in the next presidential elections in Venezuela”, as well as efforts aimed at lifting sanctions.
Delcy Rodríguez, who was vice president of Nicolás Maduro, assumed power as president in charge of the country after the capture on January 3 of the chavista leader by US forces, who transferred him to New York to prosecute him for drug trafficking.
Since then, the Donald Trump Administration He assures that he exercises tutelage over the Rodríguez Government, which has promoted several changes in the country, such as the opening of the hydrocarbon sector to foreign investment and an amnesty law.
Trump also recognized Rodríguez as head of state of Venezuela and reestablished diplomatic relations with Caracas, which had been broken since 2019.
For now, there is no date for the presidential elections in Venezuela and the opposition leader Maria Corina Machado He remains outside the country since he left clandestinely last year to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
