Trump hints at potential discussions with Maduro amid rising tensions
“We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we'll see how that turns out…They would like to talk,” Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, before departing for Washington, DC.
His comments followed the designation of the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), which, according to Trump, provides the US the legal authority to target government-linked assets and infrastructure in Venezuela. He clarified, “It allows us to do that, but we haven’t said we’re going to do that.”
Trump also stated that he had instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials to brief Congress on measures to prevent narcotics trafficking, emphasizing, “Go to Congress and let them know we’re not letting drugs come through Mexico, we’re not letting them come through Venezuela…The only thing I don’t want them to do is leak information.”
Earlier this year, the US had labeled several Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, expanding intelligence agencies’ legal authority for covert operations.
US military actions have included strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific thought to be transporting narcotics to the United States. Trump has repeatedly threatened direct action against Maduro, while simultaneously ramping up deployments across Latin America, including Marines, warships, fighter and bomber jets, submarines, and drones. Reports indicate that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, has recently arrived in the Caribbean as part of the expanded military presence.
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