A U.S. envoy arrived in Venezuela on Jan. 31 to resume diplomatic engagement after a seven-year interruption. Laura F. Dogu, the chargé d’affaires to the Venezuela Affairs Unit, landed in Caracas, marking the reopening of the American diplomatic mission. The move follows a military action ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump in late 2023 that removed then-leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
Background and Context
Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Venezuela were severed in February 2019 after Trump publicly supported lawmaker Juan Guaidó, who claimed to be the nation’s interim president. Both countries closed their embassies following the decision. Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela's interior minister and a Maduro loyalist, previously stated that reopening the U.S. embassy would allow the government to oversee the treatment of the deposed president, who is jailed in the U.S. Yván Gil, Venezuela's foreign minister, described Dogu's arrival as part of a joint schedule to resolve differences through diplomatic dialogue.
Political Developments
Dogu’s arrival came one day after Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced an amnesty bill to release political prisoners—a key demand of the opposition. Dogu, who previously served as ambassador in Nicaragua and Honduras, posted a message on X stating, “My team and I are ready to work.” The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela shared photos of her landing at Maiquetia airport.