Caracas, 6 March: The United States and Venezuela have agreed to restore diplomatic and consular relations, marking a major shift in ties between the two countries after years of political hostility and sanctions.
The agreement, announced by the U.S. State Department on Thursday, aims to reopen channels for political dialogue and economic cooperation following the dramatic capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces earlier this year.
Officials said the move is intended to help stabilise Venezuela’s political situation and support efforts toward economic recovery and national reconciliation. In a statement, the State Department said the renewed diplomatic engagement would “facilitate joint efforts to promote stability, support economic recovery and advance political reconciliation in Venezuela.”
Relations between Washington and Caracas had been severed since 2019, when the United States recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president during a period of intense political unrest.
The latest announcement comes after the U.S. military operation in January that resulted in the capture of Maduro, who is facing criminal charges in the United States. The operation reshaped Venezuela’s political landscape and led to the installation of an interim government headed by Delcy Rodríguez.
Since then, diplomatic contacts between the two sides have steadily increased. The U.S. embassy in Caracas has reopened and officials expect additional diplomatic staff to be deployed to the Venezuelan capital to expand negotiations and provide consular services.
Venezuela’s interim authorities welcomed the restoration of relations, describing it as the beginning of a “new stage of constructive dialogue based on mutual respect” between the two nations. The government also expressed hope that the renewed ties would lead to stronger cooperation and economic progress for the Venezuelan people.
The diplomatic breakthrough coincided with a two-day visit to Caracas by U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who held talks with Venezuelan leaders on expanding investment in the country’s energy and mining sectors.
Washington has already allowed Venezuela to sell sanctioned oil under U.S. oversight and is encouraging foreign investment in the country’s vast energy resources. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves and significant deposits of gold, diamonds and rare earth minerals that are essential for modern technology.
Venezuela’s government has also approved an amnesty law that led to the release of a number of political detainees, a step widely viewed as an attempt to ease political tensions.
Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado — the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate — said she plans to return to Venezuela soon, raising expectations that the country could move toward holding new elections as part of a broader political transition.
Diplomatic officials from both countries said the restoration of formal ties is intended to create conditions for a peaceful and democratically elected government in Venezuela while opening the door to deeper economic cooperation in the years ahead.
