The American flag flew over the American embassy in Venezuela for the first time in seven years on Saturday.
The embassy complex in Caracas is still being renovated and officials have not yet announced when the building will fully reopen, The Associated Press reported.
The return of the flag comes months after former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces in January.
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An American flag will once again fly Saturday at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, seven years after it was lowered when Washington and Caracas broke diplomatic ties in 2019. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
The US Embassy highlighted the moment in a social media post, calling it the beginning of a new chapter in relations between Washington and Caracas.
“A new era for US-Venezuela relations has begun,” the US Embassy wrote on X.
Some residents expressed hope that the flag signals would improve ties with the international community.
Caracas resident Alessandro Di Benedetto said the atmosphere among spectators was optimistic, according to The Associated Press.
The US Embassy entrance sign is seen in Caracas, Venezuela. (Associated Press)
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“I found several people here surprised and happy because they raised the American flag at the embassy today,” he said. “This is positive; this is another step.”
The embassy had been closed since March 12, 2019, when the US and Venezuela broke diplomatic ties, according to the US State Department website.
Maduro was captured in a US military operation in Caracas on January 3 and flown to New York, where he is being held in a federal prison.
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Nicolás Maduro is handcuffed after landing on a helipad in Manhattan, escorted by heavily armed federal agents as they board an armored car en route to a federal courthouse in Manhattan, on January 5, 2026, in New York City. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)
He faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess those weapons.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, also faces federal charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offenses.
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Both pleaded not guilty during a January 5 federal court appearance in New York.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
