Donald Trump reportedly gave Nicolás Maduro an ultimatum to relinquish power immediately during a recent phone call, but Venezuela's authoritarian leader declined, demanding a global amnesty for himself and allies, according to sources cited by the Miami Herald.
The US president confirmed the call took place on 21 November, telling reporters: 'I wouldn't say it went well or badly, it was a phone call.' Neither government has provided further details of the conversation, which occurred amid a US naval deployment off Venezuela's coast.
Trump reportedly offered safe passage for Maduro, his wife and son only if he agreed to resign immediately. However, Maduro refused and counter-demanded worldwide immunity from prosecution and continued control of the armed forces. No further direct contact has occurred, though Maduro reportedly requested a second call after Trump declared Venezuela's airspace closed.
Speaking at a rally in Caracas, Maduro told supporters: 'We want peace, but peace with sovereignty, equality, freedom! We do not want a slave's peace.' Observers remain sceptical of US military action, with a source telling the Wall Street Journal that Maduro and his cohorts view US threats as a bluff.
Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, has offered Cartagena as a venue for talks between Maduro's regime and the opposition. Meanwhile, Maduro accused the US of seeking to appropriate Venezuela's oil reserves through military force, in a letter to OPEC.
