Venezuela is willing to “expand” diplomatic relations with the US, a week after the capture and detention of former president Nicolas Maduro
The Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez. Photo: Juan BARRETO / AFP / Profimedia
The Venezuelan government has begun to analyze the possibility of expanding diplomatic relations with the United States, according to an announcement by the Venezuelan Executive, cited by Reuters. In parallel, US State Department officials will travel to Caracas for the “possible” reopening of the US embassy in Venezuela.
The announcement from the government of Venezuela comes as Friday night into Saturday marks 7 days since the US sent the elite unit Delta Force to capture and bring back the country's incumbent president of Venezuela at the time, Nicolas Maduro.
Separately from the announcement by Venezuelan authorities, the US State Department said US officials are evaluating a “possible phased resumption” of embassy operations in the South American country.
“The government of Venezuela has decided to initiate an exploratory diplomatic process with the government of the United States, with a view to re-establishing diplomatic missions in both countries,” the Venezuelan government said in a statement, according to Reuters.
A Venezuelan delegation is to be sent to the United States to conduct assessments, the statement added.
Friday night's announcement also came as U.S. forces seized a fifth oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, according to an announcement made Friday by the U.S. Army's Southern Command.
Earlier on Friday, US President Donald Trump said the release of political prisoners in Venezuela was a sign of the “search for peace” and called off a planned second round of attacks.
7 complicated days for Venezuela
Immediately after the US detained Nicolas Maduro and his wife, in a first reaction of the Venezuelan authorities, Delcy Rodriguez, who has meanwhile become the interim president of the country, condemned the US action.
Donald Trump said Rodriguez had held long talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and told him, “we'll do whatever you need,” suggesting total subordination to Maduro's successor, even though she had been a close ally of his for years.
But hours later, Rodriguez appeared on television and called for the release of Nicolas Maduro, whom he described as “the only president of Venezuela.” She said he was kidnapped and his country was “savagely attacked”.
Trump appeared to respond to those statements, saying in an interview with The Atlantic magazine on Sunday that if she doesn't do what is expected of her, she will “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.”
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Later on Monday, Rodriguez officially took over as interim president.
In parallel, a decree establishing the state of emergency, dated January 3 but published in the Official Gazette on Monday, ordered the authorities to “immediately begin the search and arrest of any person involved in promoting or supporting the US armed attack against the territory of the republic.”
Paramilitary troops, known as colectivos, were deployed on the streets of Caracas under a state of emergency declared on Monday, which barred Venezuelans from showing support for the US raid.
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On Thursday, a significant number of political prisoners, including foreign nationals jailed in Venezuela, were released, according to an announcement by the Speaker of the Caracas Parliament, Jorge Rodriguez, without specifying the number or nationality of the released prisoners.
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