Venezuela Resumes Consular Services With Israel After 17-Year Hiatus

Venezuela and Israel have agreed to restore consular services and maintain bilateral technical cooperation, a step toward normalizing relations that have been severed since 2009, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were interrupted in January 2009, when then-President Hugo Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador after an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Despite the estrangement, the Israeli government sent humanitarian aid and rescue workers to Venezuela after June's devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes.

The rapprochement comes under the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed power after the US capture of Nicolas Maduro in January and governs under intense pressure from Washington.

"The two countries have agreed to allow the continuation of bilateral technical cooperation stemming from the emergency and recovery efforts following the double earthquake," a statement released on X by Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia said.

They also "agreed to establish a coordination mechanism to allow for the provision of consular services," the statement said.

On Sunday, Plasencia met with the chief rabbi of the Venezuelan Jewish Association, Isaac Cohen, who called for the restoration of diplomatic relations to "address the needs of the Jewish community" in the Latin American country.

According to the World Jewish Congress, about 6,000 Jews live in Venezuela.

The governments of Chavez and his successor, Maduro, expressed their rejection of Israel and considered Palestine a legitimate state.

"Damn you, state of Israel!" Chavez exclaimed during a memorable speech broadcast on radio and television in 2010.

Meanwhile, Venezuela strengthened its ties with Iran first under Chavez and then under Maduro in cooperation that included oil deals amid US sanctions and blockades against both countries.

Rodriguez is beginning to face discontent from the more radical wings of Chavismo, the left-wing populist and socialist movement based on the ideas of Chavez.

On July 24, about 100 supporters of Maduro protested against the rapprochement between Caracas and Washington and burned US and Israeli flags.