US replaces its envoy in Venezuela to consolidate its strategy after Maduro's ouster

U.S. diplomat Laura Dogu announced the end of her mission in Caracas, which she assumed after the restoration of relations between Washington and Venezuela after the fall of Nicolás Maduro on last January 3.

In a public message disseminated on social networks, Dogu confirmed that she will return to her previous position as foreign policy advisor to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff after leading the American diplomatic presence at a time of apparent political transition in the South American country.

"My temporary assignment in Caracas is coming to an end, and I will return to my previous position as foreign policy adviser to the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff," she explained.

"I am deeply grateful to President Donald Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio for entrusting me to lead the implementation of their plan here in Venezuela and to represent the United States during this historic moment," Dogu said.

John Barrett is the new chargé d'affaires in Venezuela.

As his relief, Washington appointed career diplomat John Barrett as the new chargé d'affaires in Venezuela.

Barrett has more than two decades of foreign policy experience, with assignments in strategic countries in Latin America and other regions, including Guatemala, Panama, Peru and Brazil. His profile has been linked to complex scenarios, where security, migration and institutional stability have been central priorities.

In Panama, he managed to bring government interests managing the Panama Canal into alignment with the Trump administration's policy, limiting the influence and room for maneuver of the Chinese government and deepening U.S. influence.

Similarly, in Guatemala he also managed to get the local government to embrace, to a large extent, the interests of the U.S. government, breaking ties with drug trafficking and rescuing relations with the private sector.

His arrival in Caracas comes at a time when the United States seeks to consolidate its influence in the region and accompany the Venezuelan democratic transition with a more active and structured pressure diplomacy.

Continuity of Washington's plan

Dogu also made it clear that his departure does not imply a change of course in the U.S. strategy toward Venezuela but a continuity of the plan outlined by the White House.

"The team in Caracas will continue to advance the three-phase plan of the president and the secretary during this new stage of U.S.-Venezuela relations," he said.

"All of this for the benefit of the American people and the Venezuelan people, as we continue to build a strong relationship between our two countries," the diplomat wrote.

During her tenure, Dogu was a key figure in the reopening of diplomatic channels and in the execution of U.S. foreign policy after Maduro's departure from power, in a context marked by sanctions, negotiations and institutional rearrangements.

A decisive moment for the region

The diplomatic changeover comes at a particularly sensitive time, with Venezuela trying to reintegrate into the international system and attract investment after years of isolation and economic collapse.

Barrett's appointment points to a strategy of continuity with greater operational emphasis, being a diplomat with experience in complex environments and in the execution of specific geopolitical priorities.