The US State Department has informed Congress that it intends to send a steady and gradually increasing contingent of personnel to Venezuela to perform limited duties, signalling early steps toward a possible reopening of the US Embassy in Caracas after years of diplomatic estrangement.
According to the Associated Press, the notification, dated Monday, was circulated to 10 House and Senate committees and outlines a phased approach to re-establishing a US diplomatic presence. The department said the initial deployment would involve a small group of staff carrying out restricted functions as part of a cautious, incremental strategy.
In identical letters to lawmakers, the State Department said it plans to move forward with a step-by-step process that could eventually allow embassy operations in Caracas to resume. This marks the first official communication to Congress indicating that the administration is seriously weighing the reopening of the embassy, which has remained closed since March 2019 following the breakdown of diplomatic relations.
The timing of the notification is significant, as it was issued just days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on US policy toward Venezuela, ensuring heightened congressional scrutiny of the administration’s approach.
Under the plan, the initial group of US personnel would operate from a temporary facility in Caracas while assessments are conducted to determine whether the existing embassy compound can be upgraded to meet security and operational requirements. Officials described the process as deliberately cautious and gradual.
Following the January 3 military operation that removed former president Nicolás Maduro, a small assessment team from the Venezuela Affairs Unit, which is based at the US Embassy in Bogotá, travelled to Caracas to evaluate conditions on the ground and examine the feasibility of reopening the mission. More recently, the State Department appointed a Bogotá-based career diplomat as chargé d’affaires for Venezuela.
The current phase would expand the number of temporary-duty staff in Caracas, initially focusing on essential areas such as security and administrative management. The department noted that an interim or temporary facility may be required to support the growing presence while existing buildings are restored to a usable condition.
Over time, officials said the scope of activities could broaden to include consular services, political and economic engagement, public diplomacy, and other standard embassy functions. Eventually, the Venezuela Affairs Unit, which currently operates from Colombia, would relocate fully to Caracas.
While the Trump administration has moved cautiously toward re-engaging with Venezuela under acting president Delcy RodrÃguez, the restoration of full diplomatic relations would require the United States to reverse its recognition of Venezuela’s parliament as the country’s legitimate governing authority.
