U.S. Raises Flag at Venezuela Embassy After Seven Years

On Saturday, the United States raised its flag over its embassy in Venezuela for the first time since March 14, 2019, marking a significant diplomatic thaw after a seven-year hiatus. This event followed the U.S. capturing authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro.

Laura Dogu, the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires, shared a post on social media with a photo of the flag being raised outside the embassy, emphasizing that it was done exactly seven years after the flag was removed.

The U.S. had previously refused to recognize Maduro's flawed re-election in 2018. The restoration of diplomatic ties comes amid a backdrop of a special forces raid in January that resulted in approximately 100 deaths and the flight of Maduro's wife to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

The U.S. administration under Donald Trump had aimed to control Venezuela's vast natural resources and had recognized Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's former deputy, as the interim leader. Rodriguez has urged Trump to lift sanctions and signed an energy mining agreement to facilitate private investment in Venezuela's oil reserves.