The U.S. embassy in Venezuela officially resumed operations on Monday, marking the first substantive restoration of Washington's diplomatic presence in Venezuela since the closure of the embassy in Caracas in 2019, and representing the latest step in the Trump administration’s three-phase plan for Venezuela—“stability, recovery, and reconciliation.” According to a State Department memorandum, the reopening of the embassy will enhance the United States’ direct engagement with Venezuela’s interim government, civil society, and private sector. Laura Dogu, former ambassador to Honduras and Nicaragua, arrived in Caracas in January as chargé d'affaires ad interim and is now leading efforts to repair the embassy facilities, preparing for full personnel deployment and eventual resumption of consular services. However, U.S. officials stated that there is currently no specific timeline for when full public services will resume. This move also reflects the Trump administration’s shift in policy toward Venezuela—from emergency response following military intervention to political and economic restructuring. The State Department described the embassy’s resumption of operations as a “key milestone” in implementing the President’s Venezuela plan. Following the U.S.-led action that resulted in the arrest of Maduro, acting President Rodríguez has continued consolidating power this month by replacing the defense minister and reshuffling the cabinet, while advancing plans to open Venezuela’s oil sector to U.S. investment—a move publicly endorsed by Trump. Last week, Trump even claimed that U.S.-Venezuela cooperation is progressing well, describing the relationship as somewhat akin to a “joint venture.”
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