U.S. national security circles are actively preparing plans to potentially reopen the U.S. Embassy in Caracas later in 2026 if President Donald Trump formally orders it, marking a significant shift since its closure in March 2019 amid worsening U.S.–Venezuela ties. The embassy remains closed and Venezuela is under a highest-level U.S. travel advisory due to violence, crime and wrongful detention risks, with consular services handled from Bogota, Colombia. These preparations follow the Jan. 3 U.S. military operation in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured and flown to New York to face narco-terrorism charges, and Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president in Caracas. From an Indian strategic lens, Washington’s renewed diplomatic footprint signals intensifying great-power competition for Venezuela’s vast energy resources and influence in Latin America, with implications for regional stability and China-Russia ties.