The American flag was flown over the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela for the first time since 2019, a move that highlighted recent changes in relations between the two countries following the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in January.
Although the flag is currently flying at half-staff, the building is undergoing renovations and it is unclear when it will fully reopen.
The move follows several statements by U.S. President Donald Trump supporting Maduro’s successor, Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who has sought to keep negotiations open with the U.S. government.
“This flag was raised exactly seven years after it was taken down,” the U.S. Embassy team said in a statement released through social media channels.
The raised American flag attracted immediate attention from local residents.
“It’s a really good thing. I’m really happy,” said Caracas resident Luz Veronica Lopez. “Other countries need to come back because that’s what we need, because we need progress to move forward and have good relationships with the rest of the world, as we should.”
Another Caracas resident, Alessandro Di Benedetto, noted the positive mood among those who witnessed the moment.
“I noticed some people here were surprised and happy because we raised the American flag at the embassy today,” he said. “This is positive. This is another step.”
Despite these plans, much of Venezuelan society and politics remain critics of Trump, his decision to forcibly remove Maduro from office and imprison him with his wife in New York, and the growing American influence in the South American country’s oil industry.
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