The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Russia to Venezuela is the official representative of the president and the government of the Russian Federation to the president and the government of Venezuela.
The ambassador and his staff work at large in the Embassy of Russia in Caracas. The post of Russian ambassador to Venezuela is currently held by , incumbent since 17 February 2020. The ambassador to Venezuela has dual accreditation as the non-resident ambassador to Haiti.
History of diplomatic relations
Relations between the forerunner states of the modern countries of Russia and Venezuela date back to the mid-nineteenth century, with Venezuela being the first Latin American country whose independence was recognized by the Russian Empire, on 17 February 1857. Official diplomatic relations were established on 14 March 1945, during the period of the Soviet Union. The first ambassador, , was appointed on 28 July 1945. Relations were however broken off by the Soviet Union on 13 June 1952, in protest against the anti-left wing policies of the military junta in the run-up to the 1952 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election. They remained broken for the next eighteen years, during the presidency of Rómulo Betancourt, and the operation of the Betancourt Doctrine, which only recognised governments elected democratically. Relations were only restored on 16 April 1970, during the first presidency of Rafael Caldera, which saw the reversion of the Betancourt Doctrine, and the reopening of relations with socialist states. became the new ambassador, appointed on 2 October 1970. Representation continued through the late twentieth century. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Venezuela recognized the Russian Federation as its successor state The incumbent Soviet ambassador, , continued as the Russian ambassador until 1992.
Diplomatic relations were established with the Dominican Republic towards the very end of the Soviet period, in 1991, and with Haiti in 1995. In both cases, the Russian ambassador to Venezuela was given dual accreditation to them. The practice of the ambassador to Venezuela having dual accreditation to the Dominican Republic came to an end with the appointment of on 11 March 2025, as the first ambassador solely accredited to the Dominican Republic.
List of representatives (1945–present) Soviet Union to Venezuela (1945-1991) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador28 July 194525 March 1950Credentials presented on 21 February 1946 Diplomatic relations interrupted (1952-1970)Ambassador2 October 197019 April 1975Credentials presented on 1 March 1971 Ambassador19 April 197514 July 1980Credentials presented on 9 June 1975 Vaino VäljasAmbassador14 July 198028 April 1986Credentials presented on 13 September 1980Ambassador1 August 1986 25 December 1991
Russian Federation to Venezuela (1991-present) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador25 December 199124 January 1992Ambassador24 January 199225 August 1997Ambassador25 August 199712 August 2000Ambassador22 August 200011 November 2004Ambassador11 November 200423 June 2009Ambassador23 June 200917 February 2020 Credentials presented in September 2009Ambassador17 February 2020 Credentials presented on 30 March 2020
References