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Trump Claims Maduro Open to Major Concessions on US Tensions
US President Donald Trump has made a bombshell claim that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is willing to give "everything" in his country, including natural resources, to ease tensions between the two nations. According to Trump, Maduro's offer is aimed at appeasing Washington and avoiding further confrontation.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, Trump was asked about reports that Maduro had made such an offer. Without hesitation, the US president responded: "He's offered everything; you're right. You know why? Because he doesn't want to fuck around with the United States."
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has recently increased his security powers and deployed tens of thousands of troops across the country. He also accused Trump of seeking regime change, a claim that the US president has downplayed.
The offer reportedly includes a stake in Venezuela's oil wealth and other mineral resources. Venezuelan government officials have also floated a plan to present themselves as an alternative to Maduro, with Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez and her brother Jorge reportedly acting as intermediaries.
However, critics argue that Trump's actions, including US military strikes on vessels near Venezuela, are not only illegal but also amount to extrajudicial executions. Human Rights Watch has described the attacks as violating international human rights law.
Trump justifies the strikes by claiming an "armed conflict" with drug cartels, relying on a similar legal authority used by former President George W Bush after the September 11 attacks. However, experts argue that this justification is thin and stretches the bounds of international law.
The situation remains volatile, with Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill expressing unease about the lack of information regarding the strikes. Trump's outburst has also raised concerns about his language in diplomacy, following a similar incident in June where he used profanity to describe countries at war with each other.
US President Donald Trump has made a bombshell claim that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is willing to give "everything" in his country, including natural resources, to ease tensions between the two nations. According to Trump, Maduro's offer is aimed at appeasing Washington and avoiding further confrontation.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, Trump was asked about reports that Maduro had made such an offer. Without hesitation, the US president responded: "He's offered everything; you're right. You know why? Because he doesn't want to fuck around with the United States."
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has recently increased his security powers and deployed tens of thousands of troops across the country. He also accused Trump of seeking regime change, a claim that the US president has downplayed.
The offer reportedly includes a stake in Venezuela's oil wealth and other mineral resources. Venezuelan government officials have also floated a plan to present themselves as an alternative to Maduro, with Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez and her brother Jorge reportedly acting as intermediaries.
However, critics argue that Trump's actions, including US military strikes on vessels near Venezuela, are not only illegal but also amount to extrajudicial executions. Human Rights Watch has described the attacks as violating international human rights law.
Trump justifies the strikes by claiming an "armed conflict" with drug cartels, relying on a similar legal authority used by former President George W Bush after the September 11 attacks. However, experts argue that this justification is thin and stretches the bounds of international law.
The situation remains volatile, with Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill expressing unease about the lack of information regarding the strikes. Trump's outburst has also raised concerns about his language in diplomacy, following a similar incident in June where he used profanity to describe countries at war with each other.