The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, led a floral tribute on Friday at the statue of George Washington in Caracas, in an event that brought together Venezuelan and American officials to commemorate the 191 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States.
The ceremony took place at Washington Square, located in the El Paraíso neighborhood of the Venezuelan capital, which was re-inaugurated last October. Alongside Rodríguez was the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States in Venezuela, John Barrett, and both sang the national anthems of their two countries in front of the monument to the first American president.
"This year 2026 marks the 191st anniversary of diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the United States, and this reinauguration of the square pays tribute to a leader of independence, a founding father, and the first president of the United States, George Washington," Rodríguez stated to the Venezuelan state channel VTV.
The official also connected Washington's legacy with that of the Venezuelan liberator Simón Bolívar, emphasizing the importance of children and young people learning the history of their own countries, as well as that of other nations. "We join in the celebrations in the United States for 250 years of independence, but also to pay tribute to a founding father like President George Washington," she added.
Barrett, for his part, drew a parallel between the two leaders: “I proudly see this statue of George Washington, who was our liberator, our leader, very much like Simón Bolívar.” The diplomat noted that the statue of Washington in Caracas and the one of Bolívar in Washington D.C.—which reopened after restoration last May—define “the new friendship between the United States and Venezuela.”
The event was also attended by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for South America, Luis Méndez, and the Senior Advisor for Finance at the State Department, James O'Brien. On the Venezuelan side, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Anabel Pereira; the Sectoral Vice President of Economy, Calixto Ortega; and the Minister of Public Works, Juan José Ramírez, who oversaw the restoration of the square, were present.
The tribute is the most recent and symbolic expression of the rapid rapprochement between Caracas and Washington since Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces on January 3 of this year. Since then, Rodríguez's government has opted for a policy of cooperation with Washington instead of confrontation, resulting in the formal restoration of diplomatic relations — severed for about seven years — and the signing of a 25-year oil agreement that grants the United States access to more than 20% of Venezuela's reserves.
The shift is particularly striking for a government with chavista roots that has portrayed the United States as an imperialist enemy for decades. In September, Trump and Rodríguez met in New York in the first face-to-face meeting between a U.S. president and a Venezuelan leader in over eleven years.
"With the recovery of this space, we want to bring history closer to our children and young people, promoting the values of freedom, sovereignty, respect, and cooperation among nations," Rodríguez wrote on his Facebook account while sharing images of the event.
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