The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, confirmed this Wednesday that, “about 10 days ago,” he spoke by phone in a “cordial” manner with his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, amid growing tensions between Caracas and Washington over the North American country’s military deployment in the Caribbean.
“Approximately ten days ago, the White House called the Miraflores Palace (seat of the Venezuelan Government) and I had a telephone conversation with President Donald Trump,” Maduro said.
In an event broadcast by the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), the Chavista leader said that the conversation took place “in a tone of respect” and he hopes that the contact represents a step “towards a respectful dialogue” between both countries, without diplomatic relations since 2019.
“Welcome dialogue, welcome diplomacy,” said Maduro, who explained, remembering his time as foreign minister during the government of President Hugo Chávez, who died in 2013, that until today he had not referred to the matter out of “prudence” and because there are issues that, in his opinion, should remain silent “until they arise.”
The head of state insisted that the path between his country and the United States must be “one of respect, diplomacy and dialogue,” and expressed his confidence that “everything will turn out well for peace, independence, dignity and the future of Venezuela.”
On Sunday, Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One returning to the US capital, was asked if he had spoken with Maduro and said: “The answer is yes.”
The president avoided elaborating on the details: “I don’t want to comment on it.”
According to what the newspaper said last Friday The New York Timesbased on anonymous sources familiar with the matter, the conversation between the two leaders would have taken place in the second half of November to agree on a possible meeting between the two in the United States.
The call, which included the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, did not result in concrete plans for the meeting, added the report from the New York newspaper, which did not share more details about what was discussed between the two leaders.
Maduro has publicly expressed his willingness to dialogue with his American counterpart, something he proposed be done “face to face.”
Tension between Caracas and Washington has escalated in recent days and on Saturday Trump warned pilots and airlines to consider Venezuelan airspace and its surroundings “closed” amid a connectivity crisis in the South American nation.