CARACAS, June 28, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - A US delegation arrived in Venezuela
Monday to discuss a "bilateral agenda," extending discussions between Caracas
and Washington initiated in March, said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

National Assembly speaker, Jorge Rodriguez, "is receiving a delegation from
the government of the United States, an important delegation that arrived two
hours ago in Venezuela," Maduro announced on national public television VTV
at around 8:00 pm (0000 GMT).

Rodriguez is also the Venezuelan government's negotiator in talks with the
opposition, which have been at a standstill since last October.

Washington had sent a high-level delegation to Caracas in early March, a few
days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Several observers said the move was aimed
at trying to distance Caracas from one of its main allies, Moscow, and
discussing an easing of US sanctions on Venezuelan oil after the invasion
caused a spike in global fuel prices.

The White House confirmed the meeting but only said the discussions had
focused in particular on American "energy security." Before its rupture with
Washington, Venezuela exported almost all of its oil production to the United
States.

After those discussions, Caracas released two Americans detained in Venezuela
in what was widely seen as a goodwill gesture.

In May, Washington announced it would ease some limited sanctions against
Venezuela, including one linked to the oil company Chevron, to promote
dialogue between Maduro's government and the opposition.

The two counties severed diplomatic ties in 2019 after Maduro was re-elected
in 2018 to a second term in a ballot boycotted by the opposition.

In a bid to oust Maduro from power, Washington recognized opposition leader
Juan Guaido as interim president, imposing a battery of sanctions on Caracas.

Those measures included an embargo that prevents Venezuela from trading its
crude oil -- which represented 96 percent of the country's income at the time
-- on the US market.

Since then, Maduro has received significant support from Russia to be able to
continue exporting oil despite the sanctions.