WASHINGTON – In a telephone conversation on 21 November, US President Donald Trump demanded that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro leave his country within a week, Reuters reported.
According to her sources, the conversation between the two leaders lasted less than 15 minutes. During that time, Trump „Maduro said he has a week to leave Venezuela for a destination of his choice, together with his family members.“.
As further stated, the deadline expired on Friday, 28 November. In this context, Trump wrote on the social network Truth Social on 29 November that he had closed the airspace over Venezuela, stating that all „airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human traffickers“ should consider the airspace above and around Venezuela as „completely closed“.
According to the agency, Maduro expressed his willingness to leave the country with his family during a conversation with Trump. „if he and his family members receive full legal amnesty, including the lifting of all US sanctions and the termination of the key case they face before the International Criminal Court“, as well as the lifting of US sanctions against 100 Venezuelan officials.
He also emphasised that Venezuela's transitional government should be led by the country's executive vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, until new elections are held. According to sources, Trump rejected „most“ of Maduro's demands. Reuters reported that negotiations on Maduro's possible departure from Venezuela may continue.
On 30 November, US President Donald Trump confirmed that he had held a telephone conversation with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
On 29 November, Trump announced the closure of Venezuela's airspace. He later clarified that his statement should not be seen as a signal of a possible US military operation in the country.
Washington accuses Caracas of not doing enough to combat drug smuggling. Under this pretext, the United States has deployed extensive forces in the Caribbean. According to reports, an attack group of American warships led by an aircraft carrier has been deployed to the area. Gerald R. Ford, a nuclear submarine and more than 16,000 troops. Since September, the United States has destroyed at least 20 ships and eliminated over 80 individuals allegedly involved in drug smuggling from Venezuela.
American media have repeatedly reported that the United States may soon attack Venezuela. On 27 November, Trump said that Washington would very soon begin fighting drug smuggling in Venezuela, but did not provide further details.
gnews.cz - GH
