Mérida, June 26th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) - Today, the Venezuelan ambassador to the United States, Bernando Alvarez, will re-take his position in Washington, and the US ambassador to Venezuela, Patrick Duddy, will return to Venezuela this weekend, the respective foreign ministries said.
In September last year Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expelled the US ambassador in Venezuela in a gesture of solidarity with Bolivia, who had expelled its US ambassador in response to evidence that the ambassador had met with separatist opposition groups. The US then removed its ambassador from Venezuela.
Alvarez called the re-establishment of relations between the two countries a "historic decision" and said that it expressed a change in the United States, exemplified by the US's attitude in this month's meeting of the Organisation of American States (OAS) where the US was perceived as more diplomatically friendly and open towards Latin American countries.
Alvarez is also president of the newly named Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) and he said it is not clear yet who will take on that position.
Since Barack Obama became president of the US in January both countries' presidents have expressed a desire to restore relations. On Wednesday, Ian Kelly from the US State Department said the renewed ties came out of the recent Summit of the Americas in April where, "Clinton and President Chavez spoke [and since then], both our governments have worked toward the goal of returning ambassadors to our respective capitals.
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