The United States has lifted sanctions on Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, marking a significant policy shift as Washington moves to strengthen ties with the country’s new leadership following the removal of Nicolás Maduro.

President Donald Trump's administration has engaged with the interim government led by former Maduro ally Rodriguez, including on ⁠an ⁠agreement for the U.S. to sell Venezuelan oil, and has issued sanctions waivers to encourage U.S. investment.

U.S. forces captured Maduro on January 3 after months of heightened ⁠tensions between the two countries, setting off a chain of changes in ​Venezuela. Maduro and his wife, ​Cilia Flores, are on trial in New ⁠York ‌on ‌drug trafficking charges.

The Venezuelan ⁠communications ministry, ‌which handles all press queries for ​the government, did ⁠not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment. (Reporting ⁠by Jasper ​Ward and Daphne Psaledakis, editing by Michelle Nichols, Christian Martinez)