The Venezuelan regime has appointed former chancellor and experienced diplomat Félix Plasencia as its new representative to the U.S., marking the most significant step toward the formal reinstatement of bilateral relations since their break in 2019.
The announcement was made by the interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, shortly after holding a meeting at the Miraflores Palace with Laura Dogu, the U.S. chargé d'affaires, who recently arrived in Caracas with the mission of reopening her country's diplomatic mission.
The appointment of Plasencia aims to fill an institutional void that has existed since the break in diplomatic relations ordered by Nicolás Maduro more than five years ago.
In this sense, it is interpreted as an attempt to restore formal channels of communication amidst a climate of mutual diplomatic gestures, as highlighted by press agencies.
The Chavista chancellor, Yván Gil, confirmed that Plasencia will travel to Washington "in the coming days" accompanied by his team, and noted that the recent meeting between Rodríguez and Dogu allowed for "the initiation of a work agenda that involves addressing differences and controversies between the U.S. and Venezuela."
"We have reviewed the agenda of peace and respect," Gil commented, referring to the general lines of the conversation.
Laura Dogu herself reported on the meeting through social media, where she expressed:
"Today I met with Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez to reiterate the three phases that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proposed regarding Venezuela: stabilization, economic recovery, and reconciliation, and transition."
Who is Félix Plasencia?
Félix Ramón Plasencia González, born in Maracay in 1972, is a career diplomat with a long history in Venezuelan foreign policy.
A graduate in International Relations from the Central University of Venezuela, he has furthered his education at European universities and is fluent in several languages.
His entry into the diplomatic corps dates back to 1991, during the administration of Carlos Andrés Pérez.
In 1994, he met Delcy Rodríguez at the Venezuelan embassy in London, where they both happened to be young diplomats.
Since then, his career has been marked by a steady rise within the structure of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, where he held positions such as:
-Protocol Director.
- Deputy Minister for Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania.
- Deputy Minister for Multilateral Issues.
Minister of Tourism and Foreign Trade (2019–2020).
-Head of the Insular Territory Francisco de Miranda.
- Ambassador in China (2020–2021).
- Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic (August 2021 – May 2022).
- Ambassador in Colombia, during the reestablishment of relations with the government of Gustavo Petro.
- Ambassador to the United Kingdom, appointed in April 2024.
During his tenure as chancellor, Plasencia was a key figure in chavismo's strategy to confront international isolation, maintaining a critical discourse regarding the sanctions imposed by the United States and
"We reject the policy of coercive and unilateral sanctions that affect the Venezuelan people," she reiterated on more than one occasion before the UN Human Rights Council.
A notable feature of his profile is that he does not appear on the lists of individually sanctioned individuals by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which sets him apart from other high-ranking officials of the regime and makes him a more viable direct interlocutor in Washington.
What does their arrival in Washington imply?
Plasencia's new mission in the United States not only aims to reestablish formal diplomatic representation in the U.S. capital, but also to manage a complex bilateral agenda that includes energy, trade, migration, and human rights issues.
According to official reports, their appointment is a response to the new climate of détente that has allowed for decisions such as:
-The reopening of the United States embassy in Caracas
-The partial release of frozen Venezuelan assets
-The resumption of direct flights
-Political contacts between both governments
Moreover, Plasencia may have already made a discreet visit to Washington in January, coinciding with the presence of opposition leader María Corina Machado, which is seen as a first step towards his establishment in the capital.
A charge under international scrutiny
The role that Félix Plasencia will play will be closely monitored by actors in the Venezuelan opposition, international diplomats, and analysts, as his appointment represents not only a shift in the tone of Chavismo towards the U.S., but also a potential strategic turn amid the electoral process scheduled for 2026 and international pressure for democratic conditions.
From Washington, the new representative is expected to be capable of managing historical controversies—such as sanctions, frozen Venezuelan assets, and the humanitarian situation—while also promoting economic exchanges in areas like energy, a key issue for both administrations.
A restoration with limits
Despite the apparent progress in bilateral contacts, there is still no talk of a full restoration of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level.
The role of Plasencia would serve as a bridge between the parties, without yet assuming the rank of plenipotentiary ambassador.
However, her arrival in Washington marks a new stage of direct communication, after years in which contacts were made through intermediaries and parallel channels.
"The mission of Plasencia will be to strengthen the Venezuelan representation in Washington and facilitate progress on a bilateral agenda that includes regional security, trade, energy, and human rights," said Gil.
The appointment of Félix Plasencia is both a diplomatic gesture and a political bet for chavismo in a changing international landscape.
At a time when the United States seeks to contain the influence of rival powers in the region, and Caracas aims to legitimize its global position, this move could redefine the tone of a relationship that has been one of the most strained in the continent for years.
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