Ambassador Laura Dogu has landed in Caracas, accompanied by diplomatic officials, to reopen the U.S. Embassy after it was closed for seven years.
“We just arrived in Venezuela. My team and I are ready,” Dogu shared on the embassy’s social media following her arrival at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, on Saturday.
According to RNV, the Venezuelan state radio station, Dogu was greeted by Foreign Minister Ivan Gil. He hinted in a social media update that the U.S. diplomat’s visit is part of an agenda to foster cooperation between the two nations, aiming to create a pathway to address and resolve differences through diplomatic conversations grounded in mutual respect and international law.
Dogu’s visit comes about a month after U.S. authorities executed a law enforcement operation in Caracas targeting socialist leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. An anonymous State Department official told CNN that Dogu would engage with various sectors—public, private, and civil society—to advance a three-phase plan for Venezuela initiated by the president and secretary.
In 2019, President Maduro severed diplomatic ties with the United States. Since then, the U.S. has formed a special unit for Venezuelan affairs at its embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. Dogu, who has held various diplomatic roles, including Ambassador to Honduras and Nicaragua, is now the Chargé d’Affaires for this unit.
Recently, the Associated Press reported that the Trump administration informed Congress about its plan to restart operations at the U.S. embassy in Caracas, marking the first steps toward reopening after a seven-year pause. The State Department outlined its intention in a communication to congressional committees, mentioning a phased approach for potentially resuming embassy functions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing last week that Dogu would lead efforts from Caracas, establishing a quick diplomatic presence in Venezuela.
In recent weeks, following Maduro’s arrest, President Trump remarked that the current regime, led by “acting president” Delcy Rodriguez, might start cooperating with the U.S. The Treasury Department has begun issuing new permits to U.S. oil companies, broadening their access to activities involving sanctioned Venezuelan oil. Trump also mentioned plans for U.S. companies to initiate drilling in Venezuela without delay.
