US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning direct talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro despite Washington’s designation of the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ as a foreign terrorist organization. This move suggests a shift in the administration’s approach to dealing with Venezuela, moving away from the so-called ‘gunboat diplomacy’ of military strikes and towards a more diplomatic engagement. According to Axios, the decision to engage in direct talks with Maduro is part of a broader strategy to address the ongoing drug trafficking issues in the region, rather than escalating military actions.
The decision comes amidst weeks of US ‘narcoterrorism’ strikes on boats off the Venezuelan coast that have already resulted in the deaths of about 80 individuals. The Pentagon has justified these strikes as targeting the ‘Cartel of the Suns,’ a group allegedly operating within Venezuela’s security services and linked to drug trafficking. The US Treasury has officially designated this cartel as a foreign terrorist organization, placing it in the same category as groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. This designation has further strained relations between the United States and Venezuela, with Maduro’s government questioning the legitimacy of such accusations.
Trump’s potential direct engagement with Maduro is a significant development, especially considering the ongoing tensions and accusations of US-backed covert operations against Maduro’s government. While the White House has not yet set a date for the talks, the administration has emphasized that such meetings are in the planning stages. According to a source familiar with the matter, the administration is not currently considering military actions to capture Maduro, focusing instead on stopping drug trafficking through targeted strikes.
This approach appears to be consistent with recent measures taken by the US to pressure Venezuela, including covert CIA operations aimed at disrupting Maduro’s government operations and undermining its economy. The US has also been working to build alliances with other regional countries to isolate Venezuela further, which could lead to more economic and political pressure on the Maduro regime.
Venezuela, in turn, has criticized the US military buildup as a violation of its sovereignty and an attempted coup. The Maduro administration has vowed to prepare for ‘face-to-face’ talks with Washington, but the situation remains tense with both sides wary of the consequences of direct confrontation. The ongoing conflict highlights the complex interplay between US foreign policy and the internal dynamics of Latin American politics, underscoring the need for a balanced and nuanced approach to regional stability.