Maduro Confirms Respectful Call with Trump on Tensions

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro confirmed on Wednesday that he held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump last month, describing the conversation as respectful and cordial amid escalating tensions between the two nations over drug trafficking and political stability.

The call, which took place around November 21 according to reports citing sources familiar with the discussion, occurred against a backdrop of heightened U.S. military activity in the Caribbean. The United States has deployed warships, aircraft carriers, and more than 15,000 troops to the region as part of efforts to combat narcotics smuggling. Since September, U.S. forces have conducted at least 22 strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking, resulting in an estimated 70 to 83 deaths, officials said. The Trump administration has designated the Cartel de los Soles, which it accuses Maduro of leading, as a foreign terrorist organization, enabling lethal operations against associated targets.

During the roughly 15-minute exchange, Maduro reportedly proposed stepping down in exchange for full amnesty for himself and his family, the lifting of U.S. sanctions on more than 100 Venezuelan officials, and...