Maduro Expresses Willingness to Negotiate Amid Escalating U.S. Pressure

Tue Nov 18 2025 19:23:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has signaled his readiness for direct talks with the Trump administration as the U.S. heightens its pressure, including military operations against alleged drug trafficking.

In light of increasing U.S. pressure, including heightened military operations, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has expressed a willingness to engage in direct dialogue with the Trump administration. His remarks follow an asserted intent from the U.S. to explore options for intervention, prompting speculation about the future of Venezuelan relations. As tensions mount, opposition leader María Corina Machado also calls for action against the Maduro regime.

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has said that he is willing to hold face-to-face talks with representatives of the Trump administration as US pressure on him grows.

Maduro made the comment hours after US President Donald Trump said he had not ruled out deploying ground forces to the South American country.

The Trump administration has accused Maduro - whose re-election last year was dismissed as rigged by many countries - of being the leader of a drugs cartel.

Maduro has denied the allegation and accuses the US of trying to incite a war to gain control of Venezuela's oil reserves.

Since Trump was sworn in to a second term in office in January, the US government has been increasing its pressure on Maduro.

It has doubled the reward it offers for information leading to his capture to $50m and in August launched a counternarcotics operation targeting boats it accuses of transporting drugs from Venezuela to the US.

More than 80 people have been killed in the US strikes on suspected vessels since, most of them in the Caribbean as well as some in the Pacific.

According to US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the aim of Operation Southern Spear is to remove narcoterrorists from the Western Hemisphere.

But legal experts have questioned the legality of the strikes, pointing out that the US has provided no evidence that the boats were carrying drugs.

It is also unclear how much of an impact the strikes are having on the wider flow of drugs, a significant portion of which cross the land border between Mexico and the US.

The size of the US military deployment - which includes the US Navy's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford - has also led to speculation that its real aim is to remove Maduro from power.

Trump has been repeatedly asked by journalists about his government's plan and has given seemingly contradictory answers. When asked whether the US was going to war with Venezuela, Trump said, I don't think so. However, he left open the possibility of troop deployment by stating, No, I don't rule out that, I don't rule out anything.

Additionally, during recent public appearances, Maduro has addressed the US people directly, emphasizing his readiness to engage in dialogue. He stated, dialogue, call, yes, peace, yes, war, no, never, never war.

Despite prior efforts for negotiations failing, the current political atmosphere has escalated with opposition leader María Corina Machado actively rallying support against the Maduro regime, calling for unity to oust it.