WASHINGTON

The Venezuelan government announced Friday that it would begin an "exploratory process" to reestablish diplomatic ties with the US after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.

Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said Venezuela has entered a preliminary dialogue with the US aimed at reopening diplomatic missions in both nations. This shift follows the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by US forces during a military operation last Saturday.

In an official statement, Gil condemned the intervention as an "illegitimate and criminal" assault on the country and its people. He reported that the mission resulted in more than 100 fatalities, including civilians and soldiers who were killed while defending the nation.

The foreign minister emphasized, however, that Venezuela remains committed to addressing this "aggression" via diplomatic channels, asserting that this is the only lawful path to protecting sovereignty and preserving regional peace.

The Venezuelan government confirmed that a team from the US State Department has arrived in Caracas to perform technical and logistical reviews necessary for resuming embassy functions. Similarly, Venezuela intends to dispatch its own representatives to the US to carry out corresponding preparatory tasks.

Earlier on Friday, the US government verified it had sent a delegation to explore the feasibility of reopening its embassy.

"On January 9, U.S. diplomatic and security personnel from the VAU (Venezuela Affairs Unit), including Chargé d’Affaires John T. McNamara, traveled to Caracas to conduct an initial assessment for a potential phased resumption of operations," the spokesperson, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Anadolu.

Formal diplomatic ties between the two countries have been severed since 2019. During this six-year period, the United States has managed its Venezuelan affairs through an External Office located within its embassy in Bogota, Colombia.