Venezuela and Israel have announced an agreement to resume consular services for their respective citizens, marking a first step toward normalizing relations after a 17-year break, according to statements from both governments on Tuesday.
The two countries will establish a coordination mechanism to provide consular services to their residents in each nation, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia said. The agreement also includes continuation of bilateral technical cooperation stemming from emergency and recovery efforts following recent earthquakes.
"The Governments of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the State of Israel inform that they have agreed to give continuity to bilateral technical cooperation derived from emergency and recovery efforts following the double earthquake, as well as to establish a coordination mechanism for the provision of consular services to their respective citizens residing in both countries," Plasencia stated.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed in January 2009 when then-President Hugo Chávez expelled Israel's ambassador from Caracas in response to a military offensive in Gaza. The rupture also followed Venezuela's recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The current agreement does not constitute a full restoration of diplomatic ties, officials said. However, it represents a shift in bilateral engagement following recent humanitarian cooperation. In June, Israel sent rescue teams and humanitarian aid to Venezuela after two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck the northern region, killing more than 6,300 people and causing widespread destruction.
The consular services agreement allows both nations to maintain practical administrative functions for their citizens despite the absence of full diplomatic relations. The mechanism will facilitate passport services, visa processing, and other consular matters for Venezuelan nationals in Israel and Israeli citizens in Venezuela.
Both governments characterized the arrangement as a continuation of technical cooperation rather than a comprehensive diplomatic normalization, leaving the question of full relations restoration unresolved.