CARACAS — The Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro announced Monday that it will close its embassies in Norway and Australia, in a diplomatic restructuring aimed at redirecting its foreign service efforts. Simultaneously, Venezuela plans to establish new embassies in Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe. The move is part of what Caracas describes as a “strategic reassignment of resources.”
According to a government statement, consular services for Venezuelans in Norway and Australia will continue, handled through “missions diplomatic concurrent,” meaning Venezuelan diplomatic representations in other nations will take on those responsibilities. Details on which missions will cover these consular duties are to be announced.
Caracas emphasized that the new embassies in Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe are intended to deepen ties with what the government calls “sister nations, strategic allies in the anti-colonial struggle and resistance against hegemonic pressures.” Venezuela said these new missions will support joint projects in sectors including agriculture, energy, education, and mining.
Observers note that the timing comes amid increasing tensions with the United States. The announcement followed, for example, the news that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. Machado, a critic of Maduro, dedicated her award to U.S. President Donald Trump. Some analysts see the embassy closures in Norway as a reaction to that.
Norway’s foreign ministry confirmed receiving notice of the embassy closure but underscored that it has not been given detailed justification. Norway does not maintain an embassy in Caracas; its diplomatic affairs with Venezuela are handled via its embassy in Colombia. Australia similarly does not have a Venezuelan embassy in Caracas, and diplomatic cover is managed via the Venezuelan embassy in Chile.
For Venezuela, this is the latest in a series of diplomatic moves that some analysts see as a pivot away from traditional Western interlocutors and toward more alignment with African nations, many of which have shown sympathy toward challenges posed by global powers and have resisted Western influence.
Potential consequences include reduced direct diplomatic presence in Norway and Australia, which may complicate visa, travel, and legal matters for Venezuelans in those countries. On the other hand, the new embassies in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso may facilitate increased cooperation in economic development and trade, possibly enabling mutual support in international forums.
