The US Treasury Department has removed Jorge Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, from its sanctions blacklist as part of a broader diplomatic pivot prioritizing energy access and political transition.

The delisting of Rodriguez—brother to interim President Delcy Rodriguez—reflects Washington’s ongoing recognition of the interim government following the US ouster of former President Nicolas Maduro. Sanctions were previously lifted on Delcy Rodriguez, the central bank, and the national airline as part of the Trump administration’s three-phase stabilization plan.

The decision coincides with major US-Venezuela energy agreements. Jorge Rodriguez recently passed legislative reforms opening Venezuela’s oil, mining, and power grid to foreign investment. This has paved the way for a deal granting the US direct access to 17 Venezuelan oil fields to help refill the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

With US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging opposition factions to join US-backed negotiations, talks regarding Venezuela’s future are ongoing. While the interim president has promised elections, a definitive date has not yet been set.