Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has extended an olive branch to US President Donald Trump, proposing serious talks on combating drug trafficking and offering U.S. companies ready access to Venezuelan oil.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has struck a conciliatory note towards US President Donald Trump, calling for meaningful dialogue on countering drug trafficking and offering American firms unrestricted access to Venezuela’s oil sector.
Maduro described Venezuela as a “brother nation” to the United States and portrayed his government as friendly towards Washington. He recalled a phone conversation with Trump in November, saying the US leader had recognised his authority by addressing him as “Mr. President.”
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The remarks were made during an interview recorded on New Year’s Eve and broadcast on Venezuelan state television on the evening of New Year’s Day.
During the programme, Maduro and the interviewer are shown walking through a heavily secured area of Caracas. In another segment, Maduro is seen driving a car with the journalist seated beside him and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the back. Commentators viewed the scenes as an effort to project self-assurance at a time when concerns of possible US military action persist, particularly as the president has recently reduced his public appearances.
Maduro’s comments signal a change in tone towards Washington following a major US military buildup in the southern Caribbean. Trump has previo