Rodríguez and Barrett lay wreaths honoring George Washington and US independence. (Presidential Press)
Mérida, November 9, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan government publicly reinaugurated the George Washington Plaza in El Paraíso, southwestern Caracas, alongside the US embassy on Friday.
The ceremony commemorated the 250th anniversary of the US independence. The Caracas mayor’s office restored the 2,400-square-meter plaza, originally inaugurated in 1921, while also refurbishing Washington’s statue.
Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez led the state delegation, alongside ministers and municipal authorities.
“This year marks the 191st anniversary of diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the United States,” she highlighted to the press. “This reopening of the plaza is a tribute to Washington, an independence leader, a founding father. It serves as a heartfelt homage to his leadership and historical legacy.”
Rodríguez went on to claim that Washington was a source of inspiration for Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolívar.
“For the children present here: it is important to know your country’s history, but also to recognize the heroes from other countries,” she concluded.
The commemorative gathering began with an official wreath-laying ceremony at the reopened public square. Local schoolchildren from the El Paraíso parish gathered at the venue, waving small US flags alongside Venezuelan ones.
As part of the official program, the Caribbean nation’s Simón Bolívar Youth and Children’s Symphonic Orchestra performed the US and Venezuelan national anthems, as well as classical pieces from its repertoire.
Heading the US embassy delegation, US Chargé d’Affairs John Barrett echoed Rodríguez in framing Washington as “a leader much like Bolívar.”
“We should view that statue of George Washington with pride,” he said. “These two figures symbolize new friendship between the United States and Venezuela. And I want to thank all Venezuelans, as well as the president, for their support.”
The US embassy’s celebrations of the 250th anniversary of independence were originally postponed by the June 24 double earthquake.
On Thursday, Barrett hosted a formal diplomatic reception for international diplomats, business sector representatives, and high-ranking Venezuelan officials such as the President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez.
“We accepted the invitation […] to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence,” he posted on his X account. “The close cooperation between our governments serves as a tool for the prosperity of all our people.”
Since the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, Washington and Caracas fast-tracked a diplomatic rapprochement that included the reopening of their respective embassies after seven years of broken ties.
The Venezuelan leaders’ friendly overtures towards the US contrast with the stances of the Maduro and Hugo Chávez governments. Both former presidents were adamant in condemning the US’ past and present role in imposing its interests at the expense of Global South countries. They also had to contend with recurring US-backed destabilization efforts, including coup attempts and economic sanctions.
Caracas’ renewed rhetoric was likewise on display at the XXX Ibero-American Summit, held on November 4-5 in Madrid, Spain. The Venezuelan delegation was led by newly appointed Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco.
“We are convinced that a more stable, more democratic, and more prosperous Venezuela, fully integrated into international markets, will contribute to the development of all of Ibero-America,” Blanco stated.
The Venezuelan official went on to tout an ongoing US-backed dialogue process with a sector of the opposition that is focused on judicial and electoral reforms, stressing that the South American country is undergoing a “democratic transformation” under the acting Rodríguez presidency.
“One significant agreement from this process is the renewal of the Supreme Court. […] We have requested technical assistance from the European Union to strengthen the rule of law and modernize our justice system,” he added.
Blanco additionally highlighted cooperation prospects and a “shared history” between Latin America and Spain.
To mark the country’s participation in the Ibero-American Summit, state broadcaster VTV published an AI-generated spot hailing Spain’s “heritage” in Venezuela as a “cultural matrimony” and a “meeting of two worlds.” The narrative was markedly different from the discourse under Chávez and Maduro, who fiercely condemned Spanish colonialism, the genocide of native peoples, and the slave trade.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
