CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The U.S. flag was raised Saturday over its embassy in Venezuela for the first time since 2019, a move that highlighted the recent shift in relations between the two countries since former President Nicolás Maduro was captured by American troops in January.

The reopening of the American embassy comes after several statements from U.S. President Donald Trump in support of Maduro’s successor, acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has tried to keep negotiations open with the American government.

The flag was raised “exactly seven years after it was taken down,” the U.S. Embassy team said in a statement published on its social media channels.

The reopening drew immediate attention from local residents.

“It’s a good thing, really, what a joy,” said Caracas resident Luz Verónica López. “Other countries must come back too because that’s what we need; progress, to move forward with good relations with the rest of the world, as it should be.”

Alessandro Di Benedetto, another Caracas resident, noted the positive atmosphere among those witnessing the moment. “I found several people here surprised and happy because today they raised the U.S. flag at the embassy,” he said. “This is positive; this is another step.”

Despite the initiative, large chunks of Venezuelan society and the political establishment remain critics of Trump, his decision to forcefully remove Maduro from office and jail him in New York with his wife, and growing American influence in the country’s oil industry.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america