Maduro: I gave consent to secret talks between US and my officials
PRESIDENT Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela has claimed secret talks between his top officials and the US have been taking place with his express permission.
It comes amid reports that American officials were secretly working to oust Mr Maduro from power with the help of his deputy, Diosdado Cabello.
The country is suffering from one of the worst economic crises in history, which has caused a mass exodus of people and left many of those who remain without basic access to food, health and education services.
Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that his administration was “talking to various representatives of Venezuela”. Mr Trump declined to name the officials, but added “we are talking at a very high level”.
Mr Maduro took to national television on Tuesday to say the talks between senior officials from the two countries had been under way for some time. “We’ve had secret meetings in secret places with secret people that nobody knows,” he said, adding that all talks had been carried out under his “direct” authorisation.
Mr Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, poured cold water on that claim yesterday, saying in a tweet: “As the president has repeatedly stated, to end the pilfering of the Venezuelan people’s resources and continued repression, Maduro must go. The only items discussed by those who are reaching out behind Maduro’s back are his departure and free and fair elections.”
Reports over the weekend suggested that the Trump administration had been covertly approaching members of Mr Maduro’s inner circle with offers of immunity if they withdraw their support for the Venezuelan leader.
According to a Trump administration official, that dialogue was said to focus on Mr Cabello, who reportedly met with a US intermediary in Caracas last month.
America is among more than 50 countries to recognise Juan Guaidó, the Venezuelan opposition leader, as the country’s rightful president.
In his first public comments about the matter, Mr Guaidó said the Venezuelan government’s hardliners would be disappointed to hear about alleged talks with the US.
“What’s clear are the contradictions of the regime,” he said at an event in Caracas yesterday. “If they’ve been effective in anything, it’s communications, propaganda, lies for years.”
Mr Guaidó appeared to be on the verge of ousting Mr Maduro earlier this year, but a number of key allies of the president who had planned to defect appeared to get cold feet at the last moment and rallied around the regime.