US Envoy Arrives in Venezuela to Resume Diplomatic Mission After 7-Year Interruption

The U.S. envoy’s visit comes nearly a month after Trump ordered a military operation to capture wanted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

View of the US Embassy in Caracas taken on January 9, 2026, amid exploratory talks to restore diplomatic ties between the two countries. Venezuela said on January 9 it launched talks with the United States on restoring diplomatic ties, days after US forces deposed Nicolas Maduro as its president. Officials said US diplomats were in Caracas to discuss reopening the US embassy, while in Washington US President Donald Trump prepared to meet with oil companies over his plans to access Venezuela's huge crude reserves. Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP

A U.S. envoy landed in Venezuela on Jan. 31 to resume diplomatic engagement in the country after a seven-year pause.

In social media posts on Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela shared photos from Laura F. Dogu—the chargé d’affaires to the Venezuela Affairs Unit—disembarking a plane and walking across a tarmac.