Venezuela and the United States agree “to improve bilateral relations,” Jorge Rodríguez, Venezuela’s chief negotiator and president of the National Assembly, said in a message Wednesday on social media X as the dialogue between Caracas and Washington resumed .

“After this first meeting, we agreed: 1. On the willingness of both governments to work together to gain trust and improve relations. 2. To maintain communication in a respectful and constructive manner,” Jorge wrote. Rodriguez at the end of the “online meeting”.

President Nicolas Maduro surprised everyone on Monday by announcing the resumption of dialogue with Washington despite US sanctions against the oil sector and less than a month before the July 28 presidential election.

Caracas and Washington began secret negotiations last year in Qatar.

During these talks, they agreed to a prisoner exchange: Washington released Alex Schaab, accused of being Maduro’s straw man, in exchange for the release of 28 prisoners, 10 Americans and 18 Venezuelans imprisoned in Venezuela.

In return, the United States eased an oil embargo it had imposed on the country since 2019 in a bid to oust President Maduro, whose 2018 re-election it did not recognize.

However, Washington then reimposed sanctions in April, when it specifically condemned the barring of Maria Corina Machado, winner of the opposition primaries ahead of the presidential election, from running.

Venezuela had condemned this measure and denounced “the claim of the United States to monitor, supervise, control and manipulate the Venezuelan oil industry through the illegal policy of imposing coercive measures and permits”.

Maduro said on Monday he wanted “dialogue, understanding, a future for our relations, changes under absolute sovereignty and independence”.