Venezuela Policy

The U.S. has dispatched career diplomat Laura Dogu as charge d’affaires to Caracas and acknowledged a limited number of diplomatic and technical personnel are already conducting initial assessments for a phased reopening of the embassy and consulates—the first full diplomatic presence since ties were severed in 2019. Venezuelan officials framed Dogu’s arrival as part of bilateral dialogue and linked reopening to oversight of Nicolás Maduro’s treatment in U.S. custody, while opposition figures such as Machado warned the interim government lacks democratic legitimacy and questioned whether U.S. engagement reflects broader opposition demands.