Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Venezuela announced on Friday that it has entered a new exploratory diplomatic phase with the United States, marking a tentative shift in relations following weeks of heightened military and political tension between the two countries.
In a government statement, Caracas said the new phase aims to restore formal diplomatic representation and reopen channels of communication with Washington. As part of this process, US State Department officials are expected to arrive in Venezuela in the coming days to conduct technical and logistical assessments related to the potential reestablishment of diplomatic missions.
The announcement follows a significant de-escalatory move by US President Donald Trump, who confirmed that he had canceled a second wave of planned military strikes against Venezuela. Trump said the decision was taken after what he described as constructive cooperation from the Venezuelan government, including the release of a large number of political detainees.
According to Trump, the cancellation came after a review of recent developments and consultations with relevant agencies, suggesting that Washington viewed Caracas’s actions as a potential opening for dialogue. He characterized the prisoner releases as a meaningful signal of goodwill and a step toward reducing tensions.
The diplomatic overture comes in the aftermath of an earlier US military operation that resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, an event that dramatically escalated the crisis and drew international attention. While the operation strained relations to their lowest point in years, subsequent contacts appear to have shifted the trajectory toward cautious engagement rather than further confrontation.
US officials have indicated that Washington will continue to closely monitor developments in Venezuela, emphasizing that any further steps toward normalization will depend on sustained cooperation and tangible commitments to de-escalation. The Trump administration has framed its approach as conditional, linking future decisions to continued political reforms and stability measures.
For Venezuela, the move signals an attempt to ease international isolation and stabilize relations with its most powerful external adversary amid ongoing economic and political challenges. While the scope and durability of the emerging diplomatic phase remain uncertain, both sides appear to be testing whether limited confidence-building measures can lay the groundwork for broader engagement after years of hostility.
The coming weeks, particularly the outcome of the anticipated technical talks, are expected to clarify whether the current opening represents a temporary pause in tensions or the beginning of a more sustained recalibration in US-Venezuelan relations.
