The last time we heard from Venezuela their new president was calling Obama “the grand chief of devils.”

ANTIGUA, Guatemala (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is gauging prospects for improving badly strained ties between the United States and Venezuela that have steadily deteriorated over the past decade.

Kerry will meet Venezuela’s foreign minister on Wednesday on the sidelines of an Organization of American States meeting in Guatemala to explore ways to repair relations. The encounter comes at Venezuela’s request and is to occur just hours after Venezuela released from prison an American filmmaker who had been jailed on espionage charges, removing at least one irritant in the relationship.

The discussion between Kerry and Elias Jose Jaua will be the first at cabinet level between the two countries in at least several years and the first substantial contact since Venezuela’s disputed April election to replace the late populist president Hugo Chavez. Chavez protege Nicolas Maduro claimed victory at the polls, but the opposition is still contesting the results.

Washington has been eager to mend ties with Venezuela after the death in March of Chavez, who delighted in tweaking the United States and pursued policies that U.S. officials regarded as hostile. However, until Wednesday there had been little to show for its outreach.