During a phone call, US President Donald Trump told Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro that Washington could consider force if he does not leave office willingly, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported citing sources.
According to the sources, Trump told Maduro last week that "if he did not leave power willingly," the US would consider various options against Venezuela, including the use of force. The publication claims that the two leaders also discussed a possible amnesty for Maduro and his inner circle.
During Trump's first term, in March 2020, the United States indicted Maduro and several other government officials for narco-terrorism and offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the Venezuelan president.
In early August of this year, Washington increased the reward to $50 million for information leading to Maduro's capture.
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According to the WSJ, Trump told Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during last week’s secret phone call that he would consider ousting him unless he stepped down. While neither side has confirmed that the conversation took place, Trump has previously denied seeking to topple Maduro by force. In August, the US increased the bounty for Maduro’s arrest to $50 million.
ReplyDeleteOn Saturday, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry rejected the threat against its aircraft as “colonialist” aggression, illegal under international law. Maduro has placed the army on high alert and held several drills, vowing to repel any invasion.