Chile and Venezuela formalized the resumption of consular relations on Thursday, ending a diplomatic rupture that began in 2024, after exchanging verbal diplomatic notes and agreeing to reopen consulates general in Caracas and Santiago.
The deal was struck during a meeting in Caracas on Wednesday between Chilean consular affairs director Hernán Núñez and Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister for Latin America Mauricio Rodríguez, following an initial agreement reached on July 30 by the two governments. Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna called the move a milestone that would ensure protection and services for citizens of both countries.
Chilean President José Antonio Kast, who has advocated stricter immigration policy since taking office in March 2026, underscored the deal's importance for carrying out deportations of irregular migrants on flights to Caracas. More than 75,000 expulsion orders are pending in Chile, over half involving Venezuelan nationals. Around 700,000 Venezuelans live in Chile, while roughly 25,000 Chileans reside in Venezuela.