The U.S. Justice Department has filed a request in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to dismiss a lawsuit against Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez. This action follows the State Department's determination that Rodríguez is entitled to head-of-state immunity, as the U.S. recognized her government earlier this year. The lawsuit involves allegations of torture by three men who claim they were abused while imprisoned in Venezuela.
The Justice Department's filing, known as a Suggestion of Immunity, asserts that Rodríguez, as the sitting head of state, is immune from U.S. court jurisdiction. The department requested that the court dismiss all claims against her without prejudice, allowing for the possibility of the lawsuit to be revived after her term.
The filing does not address the merits of the allegations but focuses on the legal question of whether a foreign head of state can be sued in U.S. courts. This move indicates a shift in U.S. policy towards Rodríguez's government, prioritizing diplomatic relations over the civil claims against her.
The lawsuit, filed by Jerrel Kenemore, Jason Saad, and Venezuelan citizen Edgar Marval, accuses Rodríguez and other officials of human rights abuses, including torture and kidnapping. A default judgment of over $314 million was previously entered against other defendants in the case, but Rodríguez's status as head of state has delayed similar proceedings against her.