Chile and Venezuela agree to restore consular services, two years after Maduro expelled diplomats over disputed election

The agreement

On Thursday, July 30, 2026, Chile and Venezuela announced the restoration of consular relations, the first step toward full normalization after a two-year diplomatic freeze. President José Antonio Kast said the deal opens "a new stage" in bilateral ties. Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna confirmed that secret talks had been underway since Kast took office on March 11.

We are moving step by step toward normalization of relations. Starting today, Chile and Venezuela begin a new stage, which will allow us to tackle the enormous challenges we face as countries on the same continent.

Why ties were severed

The break dates to July 2024, when Nicolás Maduro's government expelled Chilean diplomats and those of six other nations after they demanded a full review of the presidential election results that declared Maduro the winner. The opposition, several foreign governments, and the Carter Center questioned the transparency of the vote. Maduro was later captured by the United States on January 3, 2026, and Delcy Rodríguez now leads the Venezuelan government.

Migration and consular needs

The absence of consular services hit the large Venezuelan community in Chile hard. An estimated 700,000 Venezuelans live in Chile, and about 330,000 are undocumented, according to official figures. Over 44,000 migrants have expulsion orders, roughly 65% of them Venezuelan. Chile has carried out 1,270 deportations so far in 2026, but none to Venezuela due to the broken ties. The agreement is expected to facilitate repatriations and document renewals.

The path to rapprochement

Talks began discreetly after Kast's inauguration, according to Pérez Mackenna. A humanitarian gesture last month helped build trust: Chile sent aid and rescue teams to Venezuela after devastating earthquakes on June 24. The Chilean undersecretary of the interior, Máximo Pavez, traveled to Caracas with the first shipment, and that visit likely paved the way for Thursday's announcement.

Chile and Venezuela ratify that this process will be based on constructive dialogue, under the principles of mutual respect, reciprocity and absolute adherence to the norms of International Law.

What comes next

Both governments stressed that this is only a first phase. The immediate priority is reopening consulates to assist citizens. Future steps could address security cooperation, economic development, and orderly migration. The timeline for full diplomatic normalization remains undefined.