Lucrezia Ciotti The crisis between the United States and Venezuela has intensified in recent weeks, amid threats of military intervention, diplomatic ultimatums, and mutual accusations. Donald Trump he offered to Nicolás Maduro a safe escape route from the country in exchange for his immediate resignation, while Caracas resists amid public protests and calls for international support, turning the tension into an open clash between external pressure and internal strategy.
Donald Trump issues an ultimatum to Nicolás Maduro: tensions between the US and Venezuela are rising.
Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, offering a safe escape route for yourself, your family and your closest collaborators, provided that he immediately relinquished power. According to what was reported by the Miami HeraldThe proposal was made during a telephone conversation lasting about fifteen minutes before a White House summit on the Venezuelan crisis, attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
The negotiation did not have a positive outcomeMaduro has called for a general amnesty and continued control of the Armed Forces, conditions rejected by the United States, which reiterated the need for his immediate resignation. Trump, however, has allayed fears of an imminent attack, specifying that the closure of Venezuelan airspace does not imply direct military action: “You don't have to read anything into it... we consider Venezuela a not very friendly country.".
In parallel, the White House has intensified operations in the Caribbean Sea against drug cartel vessels, with the deployment of aircraft carriers, submarines, and thousands of Marines. The attacks, which began in September, have resulted in over eighty deaths, fueling Caracas' accusations that the US is using drug trafficking as a pretext to control Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
Donald Trump issues an ultimatum to Nicolás Maduro: the reaction and internal mobilization
Despite American pressure, Nicolás Maduro He maintained a public attitude of security and normality. After days of absence from television appearances, the Venezuelan president is returned to be seen during the awards ceremony of the best coffees in Caracas, declaring that the Country is "indestructible, untouchable, unbeatable”. In front of thousands of supporters, he denounced “22 weeks of an attack that can be defined as psychological terrorism" and promised to defend "a peace with sovereignty, equality, freedom”, rejecting what he called “the peace of the slaves".
Tensions also extend to the legal and diplomatic levels. The Attorney General's Office and the National Assembly of Venezuela have investigation opened into US attacks against alleged drug vessels, denouncing violations of the Geneva Conventions. Maduro also appealed to OPEC, denouncing the United States' attempt to seize Venezuela's oil reserves by military force.
Despite external pressure, the Venezuelan president informally suggested the possibility of resigning within eighteen months, but the White House insists on an immediate step, confirming that the crisis remains on a razor's edge between diplomatic and military.