Nicolás Maduro holds a model of the Venezuelan constitution.


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Donald Trump rejected Nicolás Maduro’s offer to resign after a two-year transition period, demanding his immediate departure from power in Venezuela.

Maduro’s proposal included facilitating US energy companies’ access to Venezuelan oil wealth to achieve an orderly resignation.

Trump has authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela and the Pentagon maintains a historic military deployment in the Caribbean, with 12,000 soldiers and operations against drug trafficking.

The US Government is evaluating continuing with attrition strategies and cyber operations, avoiding for now a direct confrontation on the ground in Venezuela.

The consequences of the outbreak of a military conflict in Venezuela seems catastrophic and the Chavista leader, Nicolas Maduroseems even willing to renounce power in order to prevent the US military from putting its boots on the territory of the country that it still governs with an authoritarian hand. In addition to making constant calls for peace to his counterpart Donald Trumpthe Venezuelan president would have offered him a kind of deferred resignation.

According to reports The New York Times citing Trump Administration sources, The White House would have rejected the proposal of Maduro to resign after a two-year transition period. This offer would have been registered within the framework of a series of unofficial negotiations authorized by Trump himself to explore solutions to a crisis in Venezuela that is looming into an uncertain abyss.

The aforementioned media assures that Trump gave “his approval” to the CIA’s plans for operations that could target prepare a “battlefield for future actions” and to the rehabilitation of unofficial communication with Maduro.

Citing anonymous sources, The New York Times reveals that members of the Maduro Government offered the Trump Administration a two to three year transition processwith the aim of guaranteeing an orderly resignation. However, the White House considers it unacceptable that Maduro’s departure from power is postponed. The Republican president warned a few days ago that the Chavista leader “has his days numbered.”

During these informal conversations the willingness to offer access to Venezuela’s oil wealth to US energy companies.

Covert operations

Last week, Trump held different meetings at the White House with senior Pentagon officials, who presented him with several options to undertake new actions in the military campaign that the Southern Command has been leading since August in the Caribbean, near the Venezuelan coast.

Although all the information indicates that the Republican’s decisions on Venezuela are still not clear, The New York Times adds that Trump could opt for continue with covert operations, without authorizing combat on the groundand prioritize psychological or attrition strategies, as well as cyber or information operations.

Venezuelan military during maneuvers in Caracas.

Venezuelan military during maneuvers in Caracas.

Maxwell Briceno

Reuters

The publication adds that officials close to the White House learned that the CIA has different locations facilities allegedly related to drug trafficking that could be attacked under a presidential order.

Last Sunday, Trump publicly admitted, aboard Air Force One, that he would be willing to dialogue with Maduro. He had previously assured that the decision on Venezuela had already been made, but he did not want to reveal details.

In parallel, Trump has given the green light to what the Pentagon calls Operation Southern Lancewith a historic naval deployment in the Caribbean: the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Fordseveral warships and nearly 12,000 military personnel, according to US authorities.

Since August, the US has carried out at least 21 attacks against suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific, destroying 22 boats, with an estimated toll of more than 80 people dead according to the Southern Command.

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