The situation in Venezuela is undergoing a significant diplomatic shift as both the United States and Venezuela indicated on Friday (January 9) that they are exploring the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations. A working group from the U.S. State Department arrived in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on Friday to officially kick off the exploratory process of restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries.
This marks the first time U.S. officials have entered the country since the dramatic changes in Venezuela’s situation. The delegation to Caracas consists of diplomats and security officials, including John McNamara, Acting Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Colombia.
The U.S. State Department stated that the purpose of this trip is to conduct an initial technical assessment for the “phased restoration” of operations at the U.S. embassy in Venezuela. Since the interruption of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2019, the embassy has been closed.
The interim government of Venezuela led by President Delcy Rodriguez also issued a communique confirming the initiation of an “exploratory diplomatic process with the U.S. aimed at reestablishing diplomatic missions between the two countries,” and plans to send a delegation to the U.S. to discuss the specific details of restoring diplomatic representation.
According to reports by the Associated Press, due to the fact that personal sanctions on Venezuelan officials by the U.S. have not been entirely lifted, any delegation visiting the U.S. may need to obtain a waiver from the U.S. Treasury Department.
Apart from the initiation of diplomatic dialogue, tensions on the military front are also easing. President Trump announced on Friday that due to Venezuela’s recent release of a significant number of political prisoners as a gesture of cooperation, he has decided to cancel the planned second wave of military attacks. However, U.S. warships will remain on standby to ensure security.
At the same time, on Friday, Trump held meetings with top executives from several major oil companies at the White House to discuss a approximately $100 billion reconstruction plan for Venezuela’s energy infrastructure. He stated that the U.S. will assist in stabilizing the country’s situation and managing its oil resources.