Trump Ready to Dialogue With Maduro Amid Heightened Regional Tensions
US President, Donald Trump has indicated he is willing to hold discussions with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, even as Washington’s expanded military deployments in the Caribbean deepen unease across Latin America.
He also said he would be “OK” with authorising strikes inside Mexico as part of a tougher anti-drug strategy.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he would speak with Maduro “at a certain period of time”, although he insisted the Venezuelan president “has not been good to the United States”.
Asked whether ground troops in Venezuela were off the table, he replied: “No, I don’t rule out that, I don’t rule out anything.”
“We just have to take care of Venezuela,” Trump added, alleging that the country had “dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country from prisons.”
Maduro responded hours later during his weekly television broadcast, saying he was prepared to engage directly with any US officials “who want to talk to Venezuela”.
The comments come as a contingent of US Marines conducts joint military exercises in Trinidad and Tobago — the second round of such drills in less than a month. The island nation sits only 10 kilometres off Venezuela’s coast, fuelling speculation over the purpose of the operations.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, denied any suggestion that her country’s territory could support military action against Caracas.
“The US has NEVER requested use of our territory to launch any attacks against the people of Venezuela,” she said in a message, stressing that the government “will not participate in any act that could harm the Venezuelan people”. She urged both sides to prioritise dialogue.
Venezuelan authorities accuse Washington of seeking regime change through an expanded naval presence that includes warships, stealth aircraft and an aircraft carrier group. US officials, meanwhile, allege that Maduro leads a “terrorist” drug trafficking operation — a claim he rejects.
Washington has intensified its maritime operations in recent months, reporting that air strikes on suspected drug-running boats have killed at least 83 people since September in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. However, US authorities have not released evidence confirming the identities of those targeted in more than 20 incidents.
Trump also sharpened his rhetoric towards Mexico, insisting he would support aggressive action to curb drug cartels.
“Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? It’s OK with me. Whatever we have to do to stop drugs,” he said. “I didn’t say I’m doing it, but I’d be proud to do it. Because we’re going to save millions of lives by doing it.”
The United States has kept a significant military presence in the Caribbean since August, deploying several warships as part of operations officially aimed at intercepting narcotics bound for American shores.
