The Trump administration has officially requested that the U.S. Department of Justice grant judicial immunity to Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, in a civil lawsuit involving her in a federal court in Miami. This was reported by the EFE news agency on Tuesday.
Reed D. Rubinstein, the legal advisor for the State Department, made the request on June 11 in a letter addressed to Deputy Attorney General Brett Shumate.
In the letter, Rubinstein argues that Rodríguez, recognized by Washington as Venezuela’s head of state since March 5, is entitled to sovereign immunity from U.S. courts as long as she holds her position.
“Acting President Rodríguez, as the head of a foreign state, is immune from the jurisdiction of the United States District Court in this case while she remains in office,” the letter states.
The document also highlights “the special importance” for Washington of dismissing the case, given “the significant foreign policy implications that such a proceeding would entail.”
Context of the Legal Case
The case, Kenemore v. Maduro, was filed on January 4, 2026, in the Southern District of Florida by three American citizens—Jerrel Kenemore, Jason Saad, and Edgar Marval—who were kidnapped and tortured in Venezuela and released in a prisoner exchange in December 2023.
Based on the Anti-Terrorism Act and the RICO law, the lawsuit names Nicolás Maduro, the Cartel of the Suns, Alex Saab, and other high-ranking chavista officials as defendants for kidnapping, torture, and terrorist activities.
On July 15, Judge Darrin P. Gayles issued a default judgment of $314 million against Maduro and other chavista officials, although Rodríguez was not included in that ruling.
Political and Economic Implications
On Monday, the Department of Justice formally submitted a “suggestion of immunity” to the court to protect Rodríguez in this proceeding, as reported by Efecto Cocuyo.
This legal maneuver is part of a sustained rapprochement policy between Washington and Caracas following Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces on January 3, 2026.
Since then, the Trump administration has taken concrete steps to shield Rodríguez’s government: it formally recognized her administration on March 5, raised the American flag at the Caracas embassy for the first time in seven years on March 14, and removed Rodríguez from the OFAC sanctions list on April 1.
In addition, in May, it was reported that the administration discreetly ordered the cessation of DEA criminal investigations against Rodríguez, which involved nearly a dozen cases of drug trafficking, money laundering, and gold smuggling, although the Justice Department publicly denied giving such an instruction, stating: “There was never an investigation on her to stop.”
Behind this strategy are concrete energy interests: Washington and Caracas agreed on the delivery of between 30 and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to U.S. refineries as part of bilateral normalization.
Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado remains intent on returning to Venezuela to push for a democratic transition, criticizing both Rodríguez’s administration and her legitimacy as the country’s leader.
FAQs on Delcy Rodríguez's Judicial Immunity
Why is Delcy Rodríguez seeking judicial immunity in the US?
Delcy Rodríguez is seeking judicial immunity in the US because she is involved in a civil lawsuit in a federal court in Miami. The Trump administration argues that as the acting head of state of Venezuela, she is entitled to sovereign immunity from US courts.
What is the Kenemore v. Maduro case about?
The Kenemore v. Maduro case involves a lawsuit filed by three American citizens who were kidnapped and tortured in Venezuela. The suit names Nicolás Maduro and other chavista officials, alleging kidnapping, torture, and terrorist activities.