The U.S. Department of State announced this Monday the official resumption of operations at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, ending seven years of direct diplomatic absence in Venezuela.
"Today, we officially resume operations at the United States Embassy in Caracas, marking a new chapter in our diplomatic presence in Venezuela," the State Department noted in a press release.
Since March 2019, U.S. diplomacy in the country has been managed through the Venezuela Affairs Unit, an interim office based at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.
The announcement marks the symbolic and operational conclusion of an accelerated normalization process that began after the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026 during the so-called "Operation Absolute Resolution," carried out by the U.S. Delta Force with support from the CIA.
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were transferred to a federal prison in Brooklyn to face federal charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking, while Delcy Rodríguez took office as acting president and began a transition process.
The chargé d'affaires Laura F. Dogu arrived in Caracas on January 31 to lead the diplomatic mission on the ground, and her team is currently working on the restoration of the chancery building, which has faced years of neglect and requires repairs before the full return of the staff.
The State Department specified that the resumption is a key milestone in the implementation of the President's three-phase plan for Venezuela and will enhance the ability to engage directly with the interim Government of Venezuela, civil society, and the private sector.
That plan, driven by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, includes three phases: stabilization of the country, economic recovery, and democratic transition.
Normalization progressed in successive stages over the past two months: on March 5, the U.S. and Venezuela formally agreed to restore their diplomatic and consular relations; on March 9, the Trump administration recognized the interim government of Rodríguez; and on March 14, the U.S. raised its flag at the embassy in Caracas for the first time in seven years.
Last Saturday, Venezuela resumed its own diplomatic missions in the U.S., with Deputy Minister Oliver Blanco and Head of Mission Félix Plasencia leading the delegation in Washington, which met with senior officials from the State Department.
Among the measures that paved the way, the Department of the Treasury issued a license that eased sanctions to facilitate the operation of Venezuelan missions in the U.S. on March 24, allowing payments for goods and services as well as banking operations, although it maintained the ban on buying or selling real estate.
The State Department indicated that Dogu's team is working to prepare for the full return of personnel as soon as possible and the eventual resumption of consular services, which represents the next step toward the complete normalization of the U.S. diplomatic presence in Venezuela.
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