Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—On Monday, November 2, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to discuss the two countries’ bilateral agenda.Venezuela and the US have reconfigured their relations since the US imperialist bombing on January 3, killing more than 100 people, including 32 Cuban and 47 Venezuelan soldiers, while US forces abducted President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady and Deputy Cilia Flores. The presidential couple remain illegally jailed in New York.The US State Department’s official schedule listed the meeting for 12 p.m. Eastern Time and reported a scheduled photo session.#Ahora #2Nov| El secretario de Estado de EEUU, Marco Rubio, recibió al canciller, Oliver Blanco, en el Departamento de Estado. Es el primer encuentro entre los jefes de la diplomacia de ambos países desde el restablecimiento de relaciones.📽️: @usaenvivo_ pic.twitter.com/NVkHFseq2L— Unión Radio (@Unionradionet) November 2, 2026The meeting was the first formal meeting between Blanco and Rubio since Blanco’s appointment as foreign minister. The two officials posed for the media shortly after noon in the Henry Clay State Dining Room at the State Department headquarters. They did not make statements to the press at that time.In a brief statement to the press while exiting the venue, Blanco said: “We have come to strengthen a successful diplomatic agenda between two countries that share common ground and have had differences in the past, and to give Venezuelans a clear path toward economic recovery, democratic transformation, and coexistence.”Last September, President Donald Trump met with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez in New York during the UN General Assembly week. Then-Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia and Oliver Blanco, who was then deputy first minister, attended.Meeting with Treasury Secretary BessentIn the afternoon, Minister Blanco posted a photo on social media of an unannounced meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.“We held a meeting with United States Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent in which we discussed the conditions for the full economic development of Venezuela, access to multilateral financial institutions, and opportunities for bilateral economic cooperation,” wrote Blanco.Venezuela has been negotiating and planning a foreign debt restructuring process for several months. Analysts claim the meeting might have been related to this sensitive issue.Blanco’s appointment and diplomatic roleThe Washington meeting came days after Rodríguez appointed Blanco to head the ministry. He replaced Plasencia, who was appointed director of International Affairs of the Presidency, with the task of recovering over $5 billion in gold held by the Bank of England.Blanco is the first openly opposition-leaning minister in the Chavista administration in over two decades. He served as vice minister for Europe and North America from February and became first vice minister in July. Blanco was active in the youth ranks of the far-right Democratic Action (AD) party and headed communications at the National Assembly during Henry Ramos Allup’s tenure.Upon assuming his new role, Blanco said he was proud to accompany Acting President Delcy Rodríguez in the process of transforming the country.Before traveling to Washington, the Venezuelan diplomatic mission held a working meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires John Barrett in Caracas. The participants reaffirmed their institutional commitment to constructive dialogue, technical cooperation, and mutual understanding.Barrett congratulated Blanco on his appointment and wrote that the US would work with him to advance the three-phase plan outlined by Donald Trump and Marco Rubio.Some analysts questioned the officials’ lack of press remarks after the meeting and described their body language as unwelcoming. Others said that not making statements to the press is normal protocol for official meetings between foreign ministers.Venezuela-Russia Energy Agreements Remain Intact Despite US Sanctions, Deputy Jesús Faría SaysMany figures in Venezuela’s far-right opposition and media had expected an announcement about early elections. Venezuelan and US officials have stated that early elections are not a current priority. Special for Orinoco Tribune by staffOT/JRE/SF