US State Department officials are visiting Caracas less than a week after the military abduction of Nicolas Maduro.
Published January 9, 2026
The Venezuelan government has announced that it is conducting “exploratory” negotiations to restore diplomatic relations with the United States following Washington’s abduction of President Nicolas Maduro.
The government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez also said Friday that U.S. State Department officials were visiting Caracas and that Venezuela would retaliate by sending a delegation to Washington soon.
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“The government has decided to begin a review process of a diplomatic nature with the United States government with a view to reopening diplomatic missions in both countries,” the government said in a statement.
Relations between the United States and Venezuela deteriorated following the rise of left-wing President Hugo Chávez in 1999. Over the next decade, both countries resigned their respective ambassadors.
Diplomatic relations ceased completely in 2019 after US President Donald Trump’s administration recognized opposition figure Juan Guaidó as interim president.
Since then, the United States has been handling Venezuelan affairs from its offices in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá.
Rodriguez became Venezuela’s interim president just two days after the U.S. military seized control of Maduro. The operation has been roundly criticized as a blatant violation of international law.
Although the former vice president softened his tone on cooperating with the United States, he continued to condemn U.S. actions as a flagrant violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty.
“Our people and region deserve peace and dialogue, not war,” she said.
The Trump administration has pledged to indefinitely use military pressure and sanctions against the Venezuelan government and its control of the country’s vast oil reserves.
President Trump initially threatened that Mr. Rodriguez would pay a “greater price” than Mr. Maduro if he did not comply with U.S. interests. Maduro remained in custody at a US federal facility on Friday after being indicted earlier this week on charges of “narco-terrorism” conspiracy and drug trafficking.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, President Trump said he had called off a “pre-anticipated second wave of attacks” against Venezuela, citing increased cooperation with Caracas.
That included Thursday’s move to release a small portion of Venezuela’s political prisoners, which President Trump called a “sign for peace.”
“The United States and Venezuela work well together, especially as it relates to rebuilding our oil and gas infrastructure in a bigger, better, more modern way,” Trump said, adding that U.S. military assets in the region will continue to surge.
President Trump and his top officials have offered conflicting justifications for Maduro’s abduction and the ongoing pressure campaign against Caracas. The administration called the attack a one-time “law enforcement operation” but said the use of military force to achieve its objectives remained on the table.
Early Friday, the U.S. military seized its fifth oil tanker in the Caribbean since President Trump announced a blockade of U.S. government-sanctioned vessels in December.
U.N. experts said the blockade and U.S. efforts to assert control over Venezuela’s oil industry also violate international law.
President Trump is scheduled to meet with oil and gas company executives at the White House later Friday.
