Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, and they discussed a possible meeting in the United States, reported the prominent American newspaper The New York Times on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, there are currently no concrete plans for such a meeting. If it were to occur, it would mark the first-ever contact between a U.S. president and the authoritarian Venezuelan leader, Reuters reported.
The disclosure of the call comes at a time when Trump continues to employ a hawkish rhetoric toward Venezuela while also mentioning the possibility of diplomacy. In the past, the U.S. president has signaled openness to negotiations with Maduro, although the NYT report suggests that such a conversation has already taken place.
The Trump administration has described Maduro as an illegitimate leader heading a drug trafficking organization known as the Cartel de los Soles. Caracas denies this accusation. Many independent experts note that while narcotics-related corruption within the Venezuelan government is a major problem, there is limited evidence of a traditionally organized cartel among officials.
Neither the White House nor Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication, which handles journalist inquiries to the government, responded to requests for comment.
A significant military buildup in the Caribbean Sea has been ongoing for months, and Trump has authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.
On Sunday, Reuters reported that the U.S. is entering a new phase of operations related to Venezuela, which could include the use of covert options. Two American officials told the agency that among the options under consideration was an effort to remove Maduro from power.
