Overview

• The government announced the embassy closures as the first phase of a wider overhaul of Venezuela’s foreign service, citing optimization of state resources.
• Officials said consular services and bilateral outreach for Norway and Australia will shift to nonresident diplomatic missions, with operational details to follow.
• Venezuela said it will open embassies in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso to support cooperation in agriculture, energy, education and mining.
• Norway’s foreign ministry confirmed notification of the Oslo closure and reported the embassy’s phones were disconnected on Oct. 13, adding it intends to maintain dialogue.
• Media highlighted that the Oslo shutdown came days after María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, as President Nicolás Maduro publicly criticized her.