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CARACAS/WASHINGTON D.C. – Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have spiked dramatically following reports of a rare and highly unconventional phone call between President Donald Trump and Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, during which the US is said to have issued a blunt ultimatum: resign and leave the country immediately in exchange for safe passage.
Maduro, whose government faces a relentless US pressure campaign and a significant American naval presence off its coast, reportedly refused the demand, instead attempting to negotiate a complex counter-offer that included “global amnesty” for his inner circle and the right to retain control over Venezuela’s armed forces.
The dramatic exchange, which neither government has fully detailed, marks a dangerous new phase in the five-year standoff, transforming diplomatic pressure into an explicit, winner-take-all power play.
The Failed Negotiation
Sources familiar with the conversation, which was reportedly brokered by international third parties, suggest the US offer was direct and time-sensitive: a guaranteed exit for Maduro, his wife, Cilia Flores, and his son. The condition, however, was his immediate, unconditional resignation.
Maduro’s alleged counter-demands were immediately dismissed by Washington. His attempt to secure worldwide immunity from prosecution for himself and his allies, and his insistence on maintaining authority over the powerful Venezuelan military even with a political exit, signaled his unwillingness to relinquish all levers of power.
The breakdown of the talks was reportedly followed by a rapid escalation from Washington, including a declaration that Venezuelan airspace was “closed in its entirety,” fueling speculation about a possible military or ‘kinetic’ action.
Maduro’s Defiant Stance: “Not a Slave’s Peace”
In Caracas, President Maduro responded with open defiance, rejecting the US maneuver as an affront to national sovereignty. Addressing thousands of supporters on Monday, he dismissed the idea of bowing to foreign pressure.
“We want peace, but peace with sovereignty, equality, freedom! We do not want a slave’s peace, nor the peace of colonies!” Maduro declared, accusing Washington of trying to seize Venezuela’s vast oil reserves through military force.
His rhetoric signals a clear strategy: framing the conflict not as a fight against an authoritarian regime, but as a defense of the nation against ‘imperialist’ aggression—a narrative designed to rally internal support and invoke the memory of past US interventions in the region.
The Caribbean Chessboard
The ultimatum comes amidst a four-month-long US naval build-up in the Caribbean, officially described as an effort to counter drug trafficking. Caracas, however, maintains the deployment—which has involved the world’s largest aircraft carrier—is part of a clear, deliberate plan for regime change.
With the diplomatic option seemingly exhausted, the focus now shifts to the Oval Office, where President Trump is scheduled to meet with his top national security advisors to chart the administration’s next moves.
For now, the situation is poised on a knife’s edge. Maduro has called for national solidarity and an unyielding defense of the republic, while Washington faces a critical choice: back its blunt ultimatum with decisive action, or risk a significant blow to its policy credibility in the region.
