- The Trump administration has sought to coerce Venezuela’s oil industry and foreign relations since the January 3 attacks.
MEXICO, (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan government has launched a “diplomatic exploratory process” with the United States, marking the most significant formal engagement since bilateral ties were severed in 2019.
The initiative follows the arrival of a US State Department delegation in Caracas on January 9, 2026 to conduct technical and logistical assessments aimed at a potential reopening of the US embassy in Caracas.
According to CNN, the US delegation included personnel from the Colombia-based Venezuela Affairs Unit and acting US ambassador to Colombia John McNamara.
The diplomatic overtures came days after US forces launched a military attack against Venezuela that killed over 100 people and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
A Friday communiqué issued by foreign minister Yván Gil reiterated Caracas’ condemnation of the “criminal and illegitimate attack” against the Caribbean nation but justified the diplomatic rapprochement as a mechanism to “address the consequences of the aggression and the kidnapping” of Maduro and Flores.
“Venezuela will face this aggression through diplomatic means, convinced that Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy is the path to defend sovereignty, reestablish international law, and preserve peace,” the statement read. Caracas added that a Venezuelan delegation would likewise travel to the US to advance the “reestablishment” of Venezuela’s diplomatic mission.
Acting president Delcy Rodríguez underscored that the government will defend the nation’s “sacred and inalienable sovereignty” through direct diplomacy. Rodríguez has urged the Trump administration to cease the attacks against the South American country and establish an “agenda of cooperation.”
“We will face each other in diplomacy, and we will use our Bolivarian diplomacy of peace to defend Venezuela’s peace, stability, future, and independence,” she declared during a televised broadcast on Friday.
The Nicolás Maduro government severed diplomatic ties with the first Trump administration in January 2019 after the latter “recognized” the self-proclaimed “interim government” headed by Juan Guaidó as the country’s legitimate authority.
The Rodríguez administration’s diplomatic statements have also included a reaffirmation of the “historic ties” with Cuba. On Sunday, Caracas issued a statement underscoring the long-term ties with Havana rooted in “solidarity and cooperation.”
“Venezuela reaffirms its historical position within the framework of relations with Cuba, in accordance with the United Nations Charter and International Law, regarding the free exercise of self-determination and national sovereignty,” read the official communiqué.
The Venezuelan government’s position came in the wake of new Trump threats against Cuba. In a January 11 social media message, the US president vowed that “there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba,” in reference to regular Venezuelan oil shipments to its Caribbean ally. He urged Cuban authorities to “make a deal before it’s too late.”
In response, Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel reaffirmed the island’s “independence and sovereignty” and stated that any talks with Washington would need to be based on “sovereign equality” and “mutual respect.”
Caracas and Havana have enjoyed strong bilateral ties since the beginning of the century, with cooperation in multiple areas including education, healthcare and security. Both nations have been heavily targeted by US economic coercive measures.
Since the January 3 strikes and Maduro kidnapping, Trump and other administration officials have claimed that the US government will take over Venezuelan oil sales for an “indefinite” period. Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA has confirmed “negotiations” with US authorities.
On Friday, the White House issued a “fact sheet” announcing that funds from Venezuelan oil sales deposited in US government accounts will be shielded from creditors looking to collect on debts owed by the Venezuelan state. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an impending liberalisation of sanctions to facilitate oil transactions.
Venezuelan authorities report prisoner releases
On Monday, Venezuela’s Ministry for Penitentiary Affairs informed that 116 people detained in the unrest following the July 2024 presidential elections had been released. A further 187 detainees had been released in December 2025.
“These measures have benefited individuals arrested for acts related to disrupting the constitutional order and threatening the stability of the nation,” the ministry’s statement affirmed. “The process of reviewing cases will continue in strict adherence to the existing legal order.”
National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez first announced the release process on January 8, calling it a “unilateral gesture” aimed at preserving peace and national unity. Rodríguez acknowledged the mediation roles played by Brazilian president Lula da Silva, former Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the Qatari government.
Venezuelan authorities have yet to disclose a list of the people freed. It is not known whether their charges have been dropped or if they will still face trial.
Former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez was among those released in recent days. Márquez had been detained in January 2025. It is not known whether he was formally charged, while relatives denounced that they had been unable to visit him for several months.
Likewise, liberated was opposition activist and NGO operator Rocío San Miguel. Venezuelan authorities arrested her in February 2024, accusing her of involvement in an alleged plot to storm military units and kill government officials. San Miguel has reportedly flown to Spain alongside four released Spanish nationals.
