Trump says he may talk with Maduro, but threatens troops in Venezuela: 'I'm not ruling anything out'
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that “at a given time” will talk to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, but does not rule out sending US troops to Venezuela. Maduro, for his part, says he is ready for direct dialogue, but warns that he will not allow “bombing the Venezuelan peopleTensions are rising in the Caribbean, where the US has deployed a fleet of warships.
Donald Trump says he will talk to Nicolás Maduro PHOTO: Shutterstock
Donald Trump said in the Oval Office that he is open to a conversation with the Venezuelan president. “At some point I will talk to him“, he told the journalists, stressing however that Nicolás Maduro “it was not good for the United States“.
Asked if he ruled out sending US troops to Venezuela, the president answered bluntly: “No, I don't rule out that possibility, I don't rule out anythingTrump also said that “we simply have to deal with Venezuela“, accusing the Caracas regime of “has poured hundreds of thousands of people from prisons into our country“.
Washington has maintained a massive military presence in the Caribbean since August, including a US aircraft carrier, in an operation officially billed as a fight against drug trafficking. However, Maduro accuses that this justification is only a pretext “to impose a regime change” and to seize Venezuela's oil resources.
Maduro: “Yes to peace! No to war!”
In reaction to Trump's statements, President Nicolás Maduro said he was open to a direct dialogue with the American leader.
“To the United States, whoever wants to talk to Venezuela, we will talk to him, face to face, face to face. No problem. What we cannot allow (…) is for the Christian people of Venezuela to be bombed and massacredMaduro said in his weekly broadcast on public television.
He continued, repeating the message in English: “Dialogue, isn't it in English? Dialogue, dialogue… Yes Peace! War no! Never, never war (Yes to peace! No to war! Never, never war).” Maduro stated that Venezuelans “they will always be people of their word” and ready for discussion.
The leader from Caracas also spoke about “sectors of power” from the US who would try to push the US president to “the biggest mistake of his life”: a military intervention in Venezuela. “This would be the political end of his leadership…and I'm pushing, pushing, challenging, challenging”Maduro claimed, according to Agerpres.
Rising tensions in the Caribbean
Although Washington says the naval operation in the Caribbean is aimed at intercepting drug trafficking, Caracas accuses the United States of preparing a military pretext. At the same time, Trump's contradictory statements, openness to dialogue, but not ruling out sending troops, increase uncertainty.
“At some point I will talk to him”the US president said again, noting that Maduro “it was not good for the United States“.
It remains unclear whether talks between the two leaders will take place or whether tensions around Venezuela will escalate in the near future.
