*By Joan Vargas and Anyelo Mercedes
Santo Domingo.- The foreign ministries of Venezuela and the Dominican Republic announced the reactivation of consular services between both countries, as well as the reestablishment of the bilateral air connection.
Relations had been interrupted by decision of the Nicolás Maduro regime due to the Dominican Government’s criticism of the last electoral process marked by numerous irregularities and the refusal to present the voting records.
According to an official statement issued separately by both foreign ministries, in the coming days the consular services of the Dominican Republic in Caracas and of Venezuela in Santo Domingo will be resumed, with the aim of meeting the needs of the respective communities residing in both territories.
Likewise, the two governments agreed to instruct their aeronautical authorities to proceed with the reactivation of flights between Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, a measure that will facilitate passenger mobility, family reunion and commercial and tourist exchange.
The decision represents a prior step to the future normalization of diplomatic relations between both nations.
The statement was issued simultaneously by both foreign ministries on February 1, 2026. It underlines the commitment of both nations to normalize and strengthen diplomatic ties.
Crisis context
Relations between the two have been seriously affected since July 2024, when diplomatic tensions arose after the controversial Venezuelan elections that year.
The Dominican Republic refused to recognize the legitimacy of the electoral process, which led to a political distance between both governments and the suspension of consular services and commercial flights.
The de facto rupture of consular ties also resulted in the temporary suspension of judicial notifications and other diplomatic services, complicating procedures for Dominican citizens in Venezuela and Venezuelans in the Dominican Republic.
Slow relationship
During this period, the Dominican authorities maintained a position of “relations on pause,” stating that they did not recognize the proclamation of Nicolás Maduro as Venezuelan president due to lack of electoral transparency, although without formally breaking all channels of dialogue.
In September 2024, Dominican authorities allowed the seizure of a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft linked to Maduro, which had been the subject of a warrant from United States authorities due to alleged violations of sanctions and export control laws.
Later, in February 2025, the United States also occupied another Venezuelan plane, a Dassault Falcon 2000EX, which was at La Isabela Airport in Santo Domingo and which, according to US authorities, was used by senior Venezuelan officials on international flights and presumably to evade economic sanctions.
These events were denounced by Venezuela as “acts of expropriation” and have been part of the diplomatic tensions.
Also USA
Last Saturday, the head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela arrived in Venezuela, in the midst of a process of gradual resumption of bilateral relations, broken in 2019 by the deposed Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro was captured by US forces during an operation on January 3, which included bombings of the capital and other nearby regions.
The then Vice President Delcy Rodríguez inherited power and immediately overturned the historic hostile relationship with Washington: she gave up control over oil, a demand from President Donald Trump, but she also announced a general amnesty and the closure of the Helicoide prison, denounced as a torture center.
Ambassador Laura Dogu heads the US mission, although in principle her role will be as charge d’affaires.
Beyond recent tensions, relations between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela have been marked, for decades, by a climate of cooperation and political closeness.
During the governments of Hugo Chávez, both countries maintained fluid relations, with constant exchanges in the energy, commercial and political spheres, as well as a narrative of regional integration that strengthened bilateral ties.
Added to this political link is a historical bond of deep symbolism: the final journey of Juan Pablo Duarte, founding father of the Dominican nation, who died in exile in Venezuelan territory.
Difficulties
—Processes
The country has shown interest in having immigration exemptions with Venezuelan nationals, but the cancellation of diplomatic relations between both nations made any process difficult.
Venezuelan migration is numerous
Policy.
In the Dominican Republic there is a community of Venezuelans that, according to estimates by the Inter-American Development Bank, would number around 116,000 people by 2023. Many of that group arrived in the country after the migratory stampede of 2010 and 2011 in Venezuela. By then, Venezuelans could access the country without a visa.
In recent months, the Venezuelan migratory flow has been reduced, although it persists.
However, the majority of these citizens lack consular services and in order to travel between the two countries they must seek visas in a third country and fly via alternative routes, which should improve after consular relations and direct flights are reestablished.
