President Donald Trump will hold a meeting this Monday afternoon at the White House to discuss the next steps regarding Venezuela, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by CNN and Reuters. The meeting, which will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET in the Oval Office, is expected to include key figures from the national security team and the presidential cabinet, among them Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The call coincides with increased US pressure on Venezuela, materialized in attacks on vessels suspected of drug trafficking and the deployment of military assets in the Caribbean.
The US administration has reinforced its presence in the region, amassing more than a dozen warships and approximately 15,000 troops as part of what has been dubbed “Operation Southern Spear,” according to CNN. Trump declared last week that the country plans to curb drug trafficking from Venezuela, not only by sea but also by land, “very soon.”
Over the weekend, the president issued a directive via social media, warning airlines, pilots, and criminal networks to avoid flying over Venezuelan airspace. However, he asked reporters on Sunday not to jump to conclusions about the scope of the warning. Trump also confirmed that he had spoken by phone with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, without revealing the content of the conversation. Last week, the administration formally designated Maduro and several of his associates as members of a foreign terrorist organization; U.S. officials told CNN that this designation would expand Washington's military options for intervention in the South American country.
Trump confirmed on Sunday that he spoke by phone with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, although he avoided offering details about the exchange.
The announcement came aboard Air Force One, where the president was questioned by the press about reports published by various media outlets.
“The answer is yes,” he said, confirming the call. When asked how the conversation went, he said, “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly. It was a phone call.”
He added that it was a “very complicated” matter, without elaborating on the content of the dialogue.
Infobae, Trump, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, told Maduro that if he does not leave power.
Meanwhile, Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin confirmed that Washington put an exit offer on the table for Maduro.
“We gave him the opportunity to leave. We told him he could go to Russia or another country,” he said in an interview with CNN, clarifying that the Trump administration is seeking to increase pressure without planning to deploy troops to Venezuelan territory.
