By Aldgra Fredly
Contributing Writer
The United States and Venezuela’s interim government agreed to restore diplomatic and consular relations after seven years of severed ties, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.
“This step will facilitate our joint efforts to promote stability, support economic recovery, and advance political reconciliation in Venezuela,” the department said in a statement.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries collapsed in 2019 after Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro severed ties in response to Washington’s refusal to recognize him as the country’s legitimate president during President Donald Trump’s first administration.
The two countries began efforts to restore ties after U.S. forces captured Maduro in Caracas in a Jan. 3 military operation. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was subsequently appointed as interim leader, while Maduro faces criminal charges in the United States.
The U.S. State Department said the diplomatic engagement is intended to facilitate “a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government” in Venezuela.
“The United States remains committed to supporting the Venezuelan people and working with partners across the region to advance stability and prosperity,” it stated.
In a statement on Thursday, Venezuela’s interim government expressed its commitment to enter into a “new phase of constructive dialogue” with Washington that it said is grounded in mutual respect and “the sovereign equality of states.”
“Venezuela expresses its confidence that this process will contribute to strengthening understanding and opening opportunities for a positive and mutually beneficial relationship,” it said in Spanish, according to a translation by local media.
“These relations should result in the social and economic happiness of the Venezuelan people.”
Burgum Visits
The announcement came just hours after U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum concluded a two-day visit to Venezuela, where he met with the interim leader to discuss bilateral ties in critical minerals and energy.
Rodriguez called the meeting with Burgum fruitful, saying the two sides reviewed their mining agenda, shared information on investment flows and new technologies, and discussed strategic opportunities.
“This meeting reflects Venezuela’s willingness to strengthen international relations in order to promote national development and the social well-being of all Venezuelans,” she stated on X.
Burgum, who also leads Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council, commended Rodriguez for her efforts to ease Venezuela’s regulatory barriers and allow capital investment to flow.
U.S. charge d’affaires Laura Dogu visited Venezuela in late January seeking to reestablish the U.S. diplomatic mission in the country.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil said that Dogu’s visit was focused on “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.”
Ryan Morgan contributed to this report.
