Acting Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez on March 7 welcomed the resumption of formal diplomatic dialogue with the United States after years of estrangement.

“We reiterate our willingness to build long-term relations based on mutual respect, equality, and international law, with the aim of promoting a work agenda that strengthens cooperation for the benefit of both countries,” she said in a post on X.

“We reaffirm that diplomatic dialogue is the virtuous path to resolve our differences and advance in our shared agreements.”

Rodríguez’s comments were made two days after the U.S. State Department announced the resumption of diplomatic and consular relations with Venezuela.

The return to formal diplomacy came two months after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to carry out a heavily armed raid to capture then-leader Nicolás Maduro to face criminal prosecution in the United States on drug trafficking charges.

Diplomatic relations broke down in 2019, after the first Trump administration refused to recognize Maduro as the legitimately elected president of Venezuela and instead recognized opposition figure Juan Guaidó as the rightful interim president of the country.

Since ordering Maduro’s capture on Jan. 3, Trump has shown a willingness to let Rodríguez fill the leadership vacancy on a temporary basis while calling for her continuous cooperation. In the interim, the U.S. government is also managing the flow of Venezuelan oil exports.

The Trump administration has articulated plans to open Venezuela to Western business and begin a reconciliation process for the anti-Maduro opposition movement within the country, leading up to an eventual election.

“Our engagement is focused on helping the Venezuelan people move forward through a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government,” the State Department said on March 5 as it announced the resumption of diplomatic and consular relations with the South American country.

The formal reestablishment of diplomatic relations also came the same week that U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum met Rodríguez to discuss additional investment in Venezuela’s natural resources sector.

Venezuela’s oil resources have taken on a new significance as ongoing fighting between the United States and Iran has slowed oil flows through the Persian Gulf.

About 25 percent of the world’s seaborne oil passes through the Persian Gulf, according to an assessment by the International Energy Agency.

Stocks fell, and oil prices surged as the U.S. stock market opened on March 2, two days after the start of the new hostilities in the Middle East. The Trump administration has since taken steps to stabilize fuel markets.

In a March 4 Truth Social post, Trump thanked Rodríguez for her cooperation and touted heightened access to Venezuela’s oil.

“The Oil is beginning to flow, and the professionalism and dedication between both Countries is a very nice thing to see!” he wrote.