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Almost a month after the US military operation that deposed former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, the United States has taken a new step towards normalising relations with Caracas. The chargé d’affaires for Venezuela, Laura Dogu, arrived in the South American country on Saturday to reopen the US diplomatic mission, which has been closed for seven years.
“I have just arrived in Venezuela. My team and I are ready to work,” Dogu confirmed in a message posted on the X account of the US embassy in Caracas, accompanied by images of her arrival at Maiquetia international airport. The reopening marks a milestone in the gradual restoration of bilateral ties, broken in February 2019 following then-President Donald Trump’ s endorsement of opposition leader Juan Guaidó.
Also through social networks, the Venezuelan foreign minister, Yván Gil, indicated that the arrival of the diplomat is part of a joint agenda “aimed at setting a roadmap for work on matters of bilateral interest, as well as addressing and resolving existing differences through diplomatic dialogue and on the basis of mutual respect and international law”.
The step prior to the thaw was the visit, on 9 January, of a delegation from the Trump Administration to Caracas to evaluate “technical and logistical” conditions for the reestablishment of diplomatic functions. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said at the time that the reopening of embassies “will allow us to have consular representation”.
Dogu’s arrival also coincides with the announcement of an amnesty bill for the release of political prisoners, presented by interim president Delcy Rodríguez. “It is a law that will serve to repair the wounds left by the political confrontation,” she said.
According to the Foro Penal, 310 releases have been verified so far, although the government claims to have freed more than 600 people. The US also confirmed the release of “all known US citizens who were detained in Venezuela”.
