Venezuela's Maduro and US Envoy Meet to Improve Relations

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro held a two-hour meeting with Thomas Shannon, a high-ranking official in the U.S. Department of State, where the pair discussed developing more respectful relations between their two countries.

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"I have confirmed our interest that, sooner rather than later, we can build an agenda of respect between the U.S. and Venezuela,” Maduro told a crowd of supporters shortly after his meeting with Shannon.

Tensions between the two countries have heightened, with Venezuelan political authorities accusing the U.S. government of trying to undermine the democratically elected government.

"It's never too late … I hope President Obama will rectify the position he has held the last eight years against the revolution," added Maduro.

President Obama signed an executive order last year declaring Venezuela a threat to U.S. national security, a move that further eroded relations between the two countries.

Shannon, the U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, reportedly also met with opposition figures on his short visit to Caracas.

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He told a gathering of leading members of the Venezuelan opposition coalition in 2015 that his government would prefer that President Maduro finish his term rather than be ousted prematurely.

The high-level meeting was the fruit of a meeting last week between Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

"I've committed to see if this can work so let's see if we can improve the relationship," said Kerry, after meeting with Rodriguez.

The meeting between Maduro and Shannon came the day before the Organization of American States will discuss a proposal by its head, Luis Almagro, to invoke the regional body's Democratic Charter, which could eventually lead to a vote on suspending Venezuela.

Kerry also said that his government did not support the expulsion of Venezuela from the OAS, a move prompted by OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro, who is being accused of colluding with the right-wing opposition in Venezuela.