247 – US President Donald Trump has dramatically increased pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, stating that Washington could resort to the use of force if he does not voluntarily relinquish power. This information was reported by The Wall Street Journal and is cited in a report by the Russian news agency TASS, mentioned in the second paragraph as the original source.
According to the American newspaper, which heard from sources with direct knowledge of the phone conversation, Trump told Maduro that"if he did not leave power voluntarily," the United States would consider "various options against Venezuela, including the use of force."
According to the WSJ, the two leaders even discussed the possibility of an amnesty for Maduro and his closest collaborators, as part of a possible negotiation for his departure from the government.
Focus on oil
The escalation of tension occurs in a context where, since his first term, Trump has adopted more aggressive measures against Caracas. In March 2020, the US indicted Maduro for narcoterrorism and initially announced a reward of US$15 million for information leading to his capture or conviction. In August of this year, Washington increased the amount to US$50 million, reinforcing the narrative that the Venezuelan president is, according to the Department of Justice,"one of the world's biggest drug traffickers" and represents "a threat to the national security of the United States." This pretext, however, masks the real objective, which is to seize the world's oil reserves – the largest in the world.
The American press has repeatedly reported that military attacks against Venezuela are being discussed within the Trump administration. On the Thursday prior to the report, Trump stated that Washington would"very soon" begin direct counter-narcotics operations from Venezuelan territory, although he did not detail how these operations would occur.
On Saturday, Trump further heightened tensions by advocating that Venezuelan airspace – and surrounding areas – be considered"completely closed," in yet another message highlighting the White House's strategic objective: to control Venezuela's oil reserves, the largest in the world, and expand American dominance over the region.
