Washington, 6 March 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The United States and Venezuela have agreed to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations, the US State Department said on Thursday.

"This step will facilitate our joint efforts to promote stability, support economic recovery, and advance political reconciliation in Venezuela," the department said.

"Our engagement is focused on helping the Venezuelan people move forward through a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government."

The two countries severed diplomatic ties in 2019, during US President Donald Trump's first term, in a decision taken by Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Until recently, relations between the US and Venezuela had been tense. On January 3, US forces captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Caracas and took them to New York, where they have been charged with drug offences.

Since then, Venezuela has been in a phase of political upheaval.

Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, who served as vice president under Maduro, took over at the helm of the oil-rich country following the US intervention.

The transitional government in Caracas confirmed the resumption of relations.

It spoke of a new phase of a "constructive dialogue" based on mutual respect, sovereign equality of states and cooperation.

MIA file photo