U.S. and Venezuela agree to restore diplomatic relations

U.S. and Venezuela agree to restore diplomatic relations
U.S. and Venezuelan flags appear in this illustration taken 2 December, 2025.
Reuters

The United States and interim authorities in Venezuela have agreed to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday (5 February), aiming to foster a peaceful transition to elect a new government in the South American country.

"This step will facilitate our joint efforts to promote stability, support economic recovery, and advance political reconciliation in Venezuela," the State Department said in a statement.

"Our engagement is focused on helping the Venezuelan people move forward through a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government."

After months of heightened tensions, the U.S. captured Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro in January, setting off a chain of changes in the country, including the swearing-in of interim President Delcy Rodríguez. 

The two countries have since gradually resumed bilateral relations, after Rodríguez's interim government expressed interest in rebuilding ties with Washington with diplomatic missions in both countries following Maduro's capture.

U.S. embassy in Caracas, which closed in 2019, has already reopened with a new U.S. diplomat appointed to Venezuela.

"The Bolivarian Government reaffirms its willingness to move forward in a new phase of constructive dialogue based on mutual respect, sovereign equality of states, and cooperation between our peoples," the Venezuelan government said in a statement shared on Thursday.

"Venezuela expresses its confidence that this process will contribute to strengthening understanding and opening opportunities for a positive and mutually beneficial relationship," it said.

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