Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro confirmed on Wednesday that he shared a call with his US President, Donald Trump 10 days ago, describing the conversation as "cordial” amid ongoing tensions between Caracas and Washington.
Since August, the United States has deployed a flotilla of warships in the Caribbean, with the world's largest aircraft carrier arriving in November to reinforce the fleet. The US says this is to fight drug trafficking, but Venezuela argues that the operation seeks to overthrow President Maduro.
"I spoke with the President of the United States, Donald Trump. I can say that the conversation was respectful, even cordial, between the President of the United States and the President of Venezuela," Maduro said in his first public comment about the call.
"If that call means that steps are being taken towards a respectful dialogue, State to State, country to country, then welcome the dialogue, welcome the diplomacy, because we will always seek peace," the Venezuelan leader declared.
Trump confirmed he had a phone conversation with Maduro but did not provide any details.
On Wednesday, Trump described his talk with Maduro as brief, saying, "I only said a couple of things to him."
"It's much more than a pressure campaign."
Days earlier, the president had indicated that the United States would "very soon" begin to target "Venezuelan drug-traffickers" in operations "on the ground".
US aeronautical authorities issued a warning in response to the increase in military activity in the Caribbean.
This resulted in eight international airlines suspending flights to and from Venezuela as a safety precaution.
After the alert, Washington temporarily suspended flights by US airline Eastern Airlines carrying deported Venezuelan passengers. Deportations resumed on Wednesday with the arrival of 266 repatriated individuals from the United States.
'Psychological terrorism'
US military forces have bombed 20 suspected vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, leaving 83 dead.
According to Trump and his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, the first US attack on a boat in the Caribbean, on September 2, resulted in 11 deaths.
The White House has also recently confirmed a second attack in the Caribbean Sea. This attack killed survivors of the first missile strike in the water.
Democratic lawmakers view the second attack on people floating in international waters as a potential war crime and have vowed to push for a congressional investigation.
Both the White House and the Pentagon assert that Hegseth had nothing to do with that decision, and blame the admiral who oversaw the operation.
Washington claims that Maduro is the head of the alleged Cartel of the Suns, which they categorized as a terrorist organisation on November 24. In August, the reward for information leading to his capture was increased to US$50 million.
Maduro asserts that the US military maneuvers are designed to overthrow him and take control of the country’s large oil reserves.
The president, whose 2018 and 2024 re-elections are not recognized by Washington and are considered fraudulent, says the nation has withstood "22 weeks of psychological warfare" and "siege".
"I like prudence, I don't like microphone diplomacy; when there are important things, they have to be done in silence, until they happen," Maduro added.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Wednesday night that in recent weeks Venezuela has been subjected to a "psychological war" that "has escalated into psychological terrorism."
by Margioni Bermúdez, AFP
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