Laura Dogu and her successor John Barrett. Photos: AP.
US diplomat John Barrett will soon arrive in Venezuela to serve as the new chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Caracas, replacing Laura Dogu, who announced the transition at the end of her temporary assignment.
Dogu confirmed that she will return to her previous role as foreign policy advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and expressed gratitude to US President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
She also noted that the diplomatic team in Caracas will continue advancing the three-phase plan outlined by Washington aimed at strengthening bilateral relations in this new stage.
Profile of John Barrett
John Barrett is a career member of the US Senior Foreign Service with extensive academic and professional experience.
Prior to this appointment, he served as chargé d’affaires in Guatemala since January 2026. He previously held the position of minister counselor at the US Embassy in Panama starting in May 2023.
His diplomatic career also includes roles as economic affairs counselor in Peru and consul general in Recife, Brazil, as well as assignments in China and Afghanistan.
Barrett has also worked at the US State Department overseeing relations with the Philippines and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
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Cameron Baillie is an award-winning journalist, editor, and researcher. He won and was shortlisted for awards across Britain and Ireland. He is Editor-in-Chief of New Sociological Perspectives graduate journal and Commissioning Editor at The Student Intifada newsletter. He spent the first half of 2025 living, working, and writing in Ecuador. He does news translation and proofreading work with The Orinoco Tribune.
