IHS Global Insight Perspective | |
Significance | Under George W. Bush's presidency, relations were extremely antagonistic as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez capitalised on anti-U.S. sentiment and recruited a motley collection of allies around the world. |
Implications | The re-activation of diplomatic relations raises hopes of a wider rapprochement between the leftist Latin American governments and the United States. Obama set the new tone in April when he attended the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad. |
Outlook | While Chavez may be softening his ardent anti-Americanism, there remains a lot of bad blood between the countries and key hurdles to closer relations remain. |
Improving Ties
Venezuela and the United States have agreed to thaw diplomatic relations frozen back in September 2008 when the two countries expelled each others' ambassadors (see Venezuela – United States: 12 September 2008: Venezuela Sides with Crisis-Hit Bolivia, Orders Expulsion of U.S. Envoy). Venezuela Foreign Affairs Minister Nicolas Maduro announced that the countries' respective ambassadors will be reassigned to their posts in the coming days, opening the way for the immediate resumption of fully fledged diplomatic channels. U.S. officials confirmed the political breakthrough, the culmination of months of work by both administrations. U.S. ambassador Patrick Duddy and his Venezuelan equivalent Bernardo Alvarez are widely expected to return to their respective posts, but this has yet to be formally confirmed. Both were at the helm of their respective embassies when the tit-for-tat expulsions took place. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon hailed the development as a first "vital" step, adding that whilst obvious political differences remain there is a deep need to find some common dialogue and ground between the two countries.
The thaw in relations follows toned-down anti-U.S. rhetoric from flamboyant Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Whilst anti-U.S. and imperialist comments continue to lace his rhetoric, he has rarely attacked Obama directly. The latter's popularity in the region and worldwide remains very high, in stark contrast to George W. Bush. Obama has even drawn guarded praise from Venezuela's allies in Cuba. The main turning point in relations was seen at the Trinidad and Tobago-hosted Summit of the Americas in April. Obama won praise for his efforts to reach out to the region, and there was famously a brief handshake between him and Chavez (see United States - Venezuela: 20 April 2009: U.S. President's Overtures to Venezuela and Cuba Well Received at Summit, Controversial Back Home).
Outlook and Implications
A return to Ambassador-level relations is welcome and a product of Obama's engagement strategy with erstwhile U.S. foes. With Venezuela the main leader of the anti-U.S. pack in the Latin American region, re-activated ties constitute a sound platform for wider U.S. charm offensives with the likes of Bolivia. Yet, ongoing political differences mean U.S.-Venezuelan relations will remain difficult. For Chavez, memories of the 2002 coup—when the United States was the first nation to endorse Chavez's ouster—still rankle. For the United States, the nationalisation of U.S. interests and the collapse of anti-narcotics co-operation remain key concerns. Chavez's image in the United States is unsurprisingly very poor, and memories of his outbursts against Bush are still fresh. The run up to yesterday's announcement was itself marked by verbal spats and setbacks, notably with Chávez referring to his U.S. opposite as a "poor ignoramus". An immediate test to bilateral diplomatic goodwill will be Iran. Chávez has been unconditional in his support for re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and has accused the U.S.'s CIA of driving anti-government protests.