President Donald Trump allegedly gave Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro an ultimatum to leave the country in order to “save” himself in the face of a possible US invasion.
Trump told reporters on Sunday that he and Maduro communicated sometime in late November, per the Miami Herald. He didn’t offer specifics or even clarify the mood of the call.
“I wouldn’t say it went well or badly, it was a phone call,” Trump said.
Sources told the Herald that Trump had a “blunt message” for Maduro: “Resign right away.”
“You can save yourself and those closest to you, but you must leave the country now,” Trump reportedly said, saying that the leader’s safety wouldn’t be guaranteed otherwise.
Sources who spoke to the outlet said Maduro rejected Trump’s ultimatum. In an alleged counteroffer, Maduro asked for “global amnesty” for himself and his allies and was rejected. Maduro reportedly asked for another round of talks with Trump after the president instituted a no-fly zone over Venezuela and was met with silence.
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It is unclear if Trump intends to use military power to overthrow Maduro’s government in Venezuela, which he accuses of flooding the US with fentanyl. In October, Trump declared a “non-international armed conflict” against drug cartels with supposed ties to Venezuela, launching extrajudicial missile attacks on civilian boats suspected of transporting drugs.
