Venezuela’s government has said it is in “exploratory” talks to restore diplomatic ties with the United States in the wake of Washington’s abduction of President Nicolas Maduro.
The government led by interim President Delcy Rodriguez also said on Friday that US Department of State officials were visiting Caracas and that Venezuela would soon reciprocate by sending a delegation to Washington.
The government “has decided to initiate an exploratory process of a diplomatic nature with the Government of the United States of America, aimed at the re-establishment of diplomatic missions in both countries”, it said in a statement.
US-Venezuela relations tanked in the wake of the rise of left-wing President Hugo Chavez in 1999. Over the following 10 years, both countries withdrew their respective ambassadors.
In 2019, diplomatic relations fully ceased after the administration of US President Donald Trump recognised opposition figure Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president.
Since then, the US has handled Venezuela affairs from an office in Colombia’s capital, Bogota.
Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president just two days after the US military seized Maduro. The operation has been roundly condemned as a blatant violation of international law.
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