US resumes visa issuance in Venezuela

The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela said Tuesday that it will again issue tourist visas for first-time applicants a month after abruptly suspending them. The Caracas embassy said that it remains understaffed, but the arrival of several consular officials and the expectation of more reinforcements has allowed it to open up a limited number of appointments. The embassy in March stopped taking appointments after President Nicolas Maduro’s government expelled three consular officials for allegedly helping to spur anti-government protests. The United States has dismissed the charges as baseless but said that the expulsions and failure by Venezuela to approve entry for newly assigned diplomats has prevented it from keeping pace with demand for visa services.