Bessent meets Venezuelan foreign minister Blanco on reintegrating Venezuela into the financial system

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met on Monday with Venezuela's new foreign minister, Oliver Blanco, to discuss Venezuela's reintegration into the international financial system and the revival of its energy sector.

During the meeting, which is part of Washington's strategy for the stabilization and recovery of the South American country, the two officials discussed priorities for increasing energy production and reconnecting the financial system, with the aim of restoring confidence and attracting investment, according to information released by the Treasury Department.

For his part, Foreign Minister Blanco said on social media that the meeting also covered the conditions needed to access multilateral financial institutions and explored opportunities for bilateral economic cooperation, during the new diplomats' first official visit.

This rapprochement comes amid signs of dynamism in bilateral trade with key neighbors, as data from the Cámara de Integración cited by the outlet Descifrado show. The data put trade between Venezuela and Colombia at $873 million in the first eight months of 2026, a 15% increase from $758 million in the same period of the previous year.