US President Donald Trump has told his advisers that he plans to speak directly with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Axios reported, citing its sources.
According to the media, Trump's decision may be a signal that missile strikes or an invasion of Venezuela are not imminent.
According to one source, the phone conversation between the two leaders is still in the planning stage and there is no exact date. No one is speculating what Trump will say to Maduro.
Over the past two months, the US has repeatedly used military force to destroy motorboats in the Caribbean Sea that were allegedly transporting drugs. Authorities say such operations are being carried out to combat transnational crime and drug trafficking.
This has significantly strained relations between Caracas and Washington. The White House has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in the republic to destabilize the Maduro government. US Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the Venezuelan leader. He is alleged to be using terrorist organizations to smuggle drugs into the United States.
At the end of October, Newsweek, citing satellite images, reported that the US helicopter carrier “Iwo Jima“ and its accompanying ships are approximately 200 kilometers from the island of La Orchilla, where one of Venezuela's key air bases and radar systems is located.
Meanwhile, the Miami Herald reported that the United States could launch strikes on targets in the republic in the coming days.
Commenting on these reports, Trump expressed the opinion that Maduro's days as president are numbered. However, he assured that Washington has no plans to go to war with Caracas. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed media reports to the contrary as false.
In mid-November, a US Navy strike group led by the USS Gerald R. Ford entered the Caribbean Sea. The aircraft carrier has a crew of 4,000 and carries dozens of tactical aircraft. Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the carrier strike group to deploy to the US Southern Command in Central and South America in October.
Reuters reported last Sunday that the US was preparing to launch a new phase of operations against Venezuela in the coming days, including the possible overthrow of Maduro.