Isaías Rodríguez

Julián Isaías Rodríguez Díaz (16 December 1942 – 12 January 2025) was a Venezuelan politician, diplomat, and lawyer. He was appointed the vice president of Venezuela on 29 January 2000 by Hugo Chávez, and served in the post until 26 December 2000.

Life and career Rodríguez Díaz was born on 16 December 1942. He earned his law degree and specialized in labor law at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, where he began his political activities with the political party Democratic Action.

Rodríguez died in Caracas on 12 January 2025, at the age of 82.

Sanctions

In November 2017, Isaías Rodríguez was sanctioned by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control after the 2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election.

In March 2018, Panama sanctioned 55 public officials, including Isaías Rodríguez.

During 2018 until 2019 he worked as the Venezuelan Ambassador in Italy. During the 2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis, Rodríguez expressed concern for US sanctions on Venezuela. According to him, these sanctions prevented him paying his workers and the Embassy debt had risen to about €9 million. Rodríguez resigned from his job as ambassador in May due to the tight budget of the embassy. In his resignation letter published on Twitter, he expressed support for "Maduro's battle". He wrote that he was left "without money" and that the Italian bank has "closed its doors" to him.