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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro mentioned Thursday that his authorities is open to negotiating an settlement with the US after months of American navy strain focusing on drug trafficking networks tied to his authorities.
In a pre-taped interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet that aired on state tv, Maduro mentioned Venezuela is “prepared” to debate a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He known as on the nations to “begin speaking severely, with knowledge in hand.”
“The U.S. authorities is aware of, as a result of we’ve instructed lots of their spokespeople, that in the event that they need to severely focus on an settlement to fight drug trafficking, we’re prepared,” he mentioned. “If they need oil, Venezuela is prepared for U.S. funding, like with Chevron, each time they need it, wherever they need it and nonetheless they need it.”
Chevron Corp. is the only main U.S. oil firm presently exporting Venezuelan crude to the US.
MADURO TRAPPED WITH FEW RETALIATION OPTIONS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN SEIZES VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro seems on throughout a gathering on the Nationwide Meeting in Caracas, Aug. 22, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP through Getty Photographs)
Maduro mentioned the U.S. needs a regime change in Venezuela and entry to its oil reserves by a months-long strain marketing campaign that started with a significant military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.
He mentioned it’s clear the U.S. needs “to impose themselves by threats, intimidation and power.”
The interview was recorded on New 12 months’s Eve, the identical day the U.S. military announced a kinetic strike that killed 5 folks aboard two vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations concerned in narcotics trafficking.
SEN. KENNEDY DOUBLES DOWN ON VENEZUELA CRACKDOWN, URGES SANCTIONS TO ‘CHOKE OFF’ FUNDS
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro joined a rally in Caracas on Dec. 10. (AP Photograph/Cristian Hernandez)
A minimum of 114 folks have been killed for the reason that U.S. started bombing alleged drug-trafficking boats within the Caribbean and jap Pacific in early September.
The U.S. could also be signaling a potential enlargement of its Venezuela-focused marketing campaign, together with potential floor operations.
President Donald Trump confirmed {that a} strike final week focused what he described as a Venezuelan port used for drug trafficking, however declined to say whether or not the operation was carried out by the U.S. navy or one other entity, such because the CIA.
SOUTHCOM SAYS 8 NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL KINETIC STRIKES
USSOUTHCOM introduced one other kinetic strike towards alleged naro-terrorist vessels on Wednesday, Dec. 31. (@Southcom through X)
Maduro declined to touch upon that strike throughout the interview, however mentioned he might “discuss it in just a few days.”
In latest weeks, Trump has intensified strain on Maduro, ordering a complete blockade of oil tankers getting into or leaving Venezuela, designating his regime a international terrorist group, and accusing it of utilizing stolen U.S. belongings to fund terrorism, drug trafficking and different felony exercise.
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U.S. authorities have additionally seized two ships carrying sanctioned oil.
Fox Information Digital’s Greg Wehner, Morgan Phillips, Jasmine Baehr and The Related Press contributed to this report.
