Delcy Rodríguez managed a $4 million contract with international law firm to seek relief from U.S. sanctions in 2020

Venezuela engaged the international law firm Amsterdam & Partners in 2020 under a contract worth $4 million to seek relief from United States sanctions. The agreement, revealed by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, saw the firm provide legal advice to Venezuela between 2020 and 2022 on matters concerning U.S. sanctions.

The initiative was spearheaded by Delcy Rodríguez, who was the vice president at the time. The Venezuelan state, through its attorney general Reinaldo Muñoz Pedroza, contracted Amsterdam & Partners to act as its legal representative and advisor in the United States. The contract stipulated a fixed fee of $4,049,848.88, payable in four installments, starting with $1,049,848.88 on January 31, 2020, and followed by monthly payments of $1 million until May of that year.

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The parties recognize and agree that the Office shall waive hourly billing and that, in lieu thereof, the firm shall be paid a fixed fee of $4,049,848.88, payable in four installments.

Initially covering all of 2020, the contract was extended for two additional years. A spokesperson for the firm, which has offices in London and New York, confirmed to El Mundo that the contract was signed in the past and was established with Delcy Rodríguez, not Nicolás Maduro. This move was part of efforts to approach the U.S. government during the final period of Donald Trump's presidency.

The spokesperson added that, following instructions from Rodríguez, the firm provided advice on "a series of specific and technical issues related to sanctions." This engagement occurred despite Robert Amsterdam, the firm's founder, having previously written an article in 2009 comparing Hugo Chávez to Vladimir Putin for alleged lawlessness and violence. The contract aimed to explore potential avenues for easing sanctions against Venezuela.

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Following the instructions of the then vice president Delcy Rodríguez, the firm provided advice on a series of specific and technical issues related to sanctions.