Trump Plans Direct Talks with Venezuelan President
The US recently designated the so-called ‘Cartel of the Suns’—an alleged criminal network within Venezuela’s security services—as a foreign terrorist organization, placing it alongside Al-Qaeda and Islamic State. When announcing the designation on Monday, the US Treasury reiterated long-standing claims that Maduro, whose legitimacy Washington disputes, leads the group.
Media describes Trump’s planned outreach as a significant shift in his “gunboat diplomacy” toward Venezuela, potentially signaling that missile strikes or ground operations are unlikely in the immediate future.
“Nobody is planning to go in and shoot him or snatch him – at this point. I wouldn’t say never, but that’s not the plan right now,” an anonymous official familiar with the matter told media.
“In the meantime, we’re going to blow up boats shipping drugs. We’re going to stop the drug trafficking,” the official reportedly added.
No date has been set for a potential call between Trump and Maduro, which remains “in the planning stages,” media reported, citing another US official.
The development comes after nearly two months of US airstrikes on small boats off Venezuela’s coast. The Pentagon says the operations target “narcoterrorism” and have resulted in roughly 80 deaths.
The label ‘Cartel of the Suns’ originated in the 1990s as a media term for alleged corruption among Venezuelan officers who wore sun-shaped insignia. In 2020, the US indicted Maduro and 14 current or former officials on drug-trafficking and organized-crime charges, accusing them of collectively running the cartel. Maduro has repeatedly denied the allegations and cautioned the US against launching “a crazy war.”
Trump has also reportedly authorized a range of measures to pressure Venezuela and prepare for a potential broader military campaign, including covert CIA operations targeting Maduro’s government.
Caracas has condemned the US military buildup as a violation of its sovereignty and an attempted coup, putting its forces on high alert. Maduro, meanwhile, has said Venezuela is ready for “face-to-face” talks with Washington.
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