Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez met U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Laura Dogu at the Miraflores presidential palace on Feb. 2
Via U.S. Embassy in Caracas on X
When the United States launched a military campaign in Venezuela to capture President Nicolás Maduro, officials decided it was in the best interest of all parties involved to install then–Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the country's interim leader.
In the month since Maduro's capture, the U.S. has sent several officials to Venezuela to meet with Rodríguez. The most recent visit took place Feb. 2, when Rodríguez received U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Laura Dogu at the Miraflores presidential palace to discuss Washington's plan to stabilize Venezuela and eventually guide it toward a democratic transition.
As reported by the Miami Herald, the three-phase plan originally laid out by the Trump administration calls for stabilization, economic recovery and an eventual transition to democratic rule.
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According to the outlet, Dogu's visit marked the reopening of diplomatic ties between Washington and Caracas after seven years. Relations had been severed in 2019, when the first Trump administration recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's interim president. Since then, U.S. policy toward Venezuela had been managed from an external office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá.
"Today I met with Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez to reiterate the three phases that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has laid out for Venezuela: stabilization, economic recovery and reconciliation, and transition," Dogu said in a message posted by the U.S. Embassy in Caracas on X.
Hoy me reuní con Delcy Rodríguez y Jorge Rodríguez para reiterar las tres fases que el @SecRubio ha planteado sobre Venezuela: estabilización, recuperación económica y reconciliación, y transición - LFD pic.twitter.com/QoMbqgOf8S
— Embajada de los EE.UU., Venezuela (@usembassyve) February 2, 2026
Shortly after the meeting, the Venezuelan government announced the appointment of former foreign minister Félix Plasencia as its diplomatic representative to the United States, formally restoring ties that had been dormant since 2019. The government said Plasencia will travel to Washington "in the coming days" to assume the post.
For Foreign Minister Yván Gil, the reciprocal appointment of diplomats marks the first step in what he described as an "exhaustive review" of bilateral cooperation, the Miami Herald reported.
"We are building a productive agenda, an agenda of peace and respect," Gil said in remarks broadcast on state television, describing an effort to reset relations with Washington.
On the economic front, although Rodríguez has largely kept many of the officials who served under Maduro, her government has sought to overhaul the country's state-controlled oil model amid pressure from the Trump administration.
By allowing private companies direct access to oil fields and the ability to sell crude without going through the state oil company PDVSA, the United States is now overseeing the management of Venezuela's oil revenues, with proceeds allegedly held in accounts tied to humanitarian assistance.
While the economic component has been central for Washington, the Trump administration's roadmap has also demanded that Venezuela show progress in other areas, including democratic reforms and, in particular, the release of political prisoners.
According to the human rights organization Foro Penal, at least 344 political prisoners have been released since Jan. 8, although none have been granted full freedom.
Similarly, as reported by the Miami Herald, the government has announced the closure of notorious detention centers, including El Helicoide, a massive facility in Caracas known for holding political prisoners, and La Tumba, which also serves as headquarters for the Bolivarian Intelligence Service.
Despite ongoing complications and pressure from the Venezuelan opposition to prioritize democratic reforms, President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have highlighted Rodríguez's cooperation with Washington, with Trump going as far as referring to her as a "terrific person."
"We are making tremendous progress," Trump told reporters at the Oval Office last month.
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Tags: Delcy rodriguez, Venezuela, United States, Donald Trump, Latin America
