The United States has raised its national flag over its embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, for the first time in seven years, marking a significant shift in diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The symbolic moment took place on March 14, 2026, exactly seven years after the flag was lowered when ties between Washington and Caracas were severed in 2019.

The U.S. embassy had been closed since March 2019 after the Venezuelan government cut diplomatic relations with Washington following the United States’ refusal to recognize the disputed 2018 re-election of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The move led to a breakdown in relations and the withdrawal of diplomatic staff.

The return of the American flag comes amid dramatic political changes in Venezuela. Earlier in January 2026, Maduro was captured during a U.S. military operation and transported to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. His removal from power led to the installation of an interim government under Delcy Rodríguez, which has been working to restore diplomatic engagement with the United States.

During the ceremony, U.S. diplomatic staff raised the flag outside the embassy compound, with officials describing the moment as the beginning of a new chapter in relations between the two nations. In a message shared online, the U.S. embassy said the flag was raised “exactly seven years after it was taken down,” calling the event the start of “a new era for U.S.–Venezuela relations.”

Residents in Caracas who witnessed the event expressed cautious optimism, with many hoping the gesture signals improved relations with the international community and potential economic progress for Venezuela. However, the embassy building is still undergoing renovations and officials have not yet confirmed when it will fully reopen for normal diplomatic operations.

The development also comes as the United States has begun easing some sanctions on Venezuela and allowing limited international investment in the country’s oil sector, part of broader negotiations between Washington and Venezuela’s transitional leadership.

While the flag-raising ceremony symbolizes renewed diplomatic ties, political divisions remain both within Venezuela and internationally over the circumstances surrounding Maduro’s removal and the growing U.S. influence in the country.