President Donald Trump has acknowledged that he recently spoke with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, but offered no details about the conversation. Reports from multiple outlets claim the conversation hit a wall, along with details about the nature of the exchange. Meanwhile, the White House on Monday admitted the Pentagon carried out a second strike Sept. 2 on a suspected drug boat but insisted it was legal under the law of armed conflict. The incident, which reportedly killed two survivors clinging to the side of the boat, has sparked a bipartisan Congressional investigation.
The Maduro-Trump call, first reported by The New York Times, “quickly reached an impasse as it became clear that the two sides’ positions were far apart,” The Miami Herald reported. “Washington demanded that Maduro and his top allies leave Venezuela immediately to allow the restoration of democratic rule, while regime leaders proposed handing political control to the opposition but retaining command of the armed forces.”
According to the sources, the publication added that “the U.S. message to Maduro was direct: Safe passage would be guaranteed for him, his wife Cilia Flores, and his son only if he agreed to resign right away.”
The call was viewed as a last-ditch effort to “avoid a direct confrontation,” The Herald reported, adding that it stalled over two issues in addition to Maduro wanting to retain control of his troops. Maduro wanted amnesty for any crimes he committed and he wanted to delay his departure. All three requests were denied, the newspaper claimed. The New York Times story said the two leaders discussed a possible meeting, although there aren’t plans for this to happen at this time.
We cannot independently verify the topics of discussion in the Trump-Maduro call and have reached out to the White House for further details.