The US and Venezuela agreed to reestablish official diplomatic ties, a landmark moment in the wake of Washington’s ouster of the Latin American nation’s leader.
The announcement followed a raft of visits by top US officials, most recently the interior secretary, and a series of moves by Washington to normalize its economic relations with Caracas.
Though the agreement officially suggests a peer relationship, the US has in reality been putting huge pressure on Venezuela’s leadership, in particular over the redevelopment of its lucrative oil fields, the world’s largest stated reserves: Washington has in effect exercised control over who Caracas can sell its oil to.
