Trump and Maduro appear open to US-Venezuela talks
發佈日期: 2025-11-18 22:26
TVB News
Potential talks between Donald Trump and Nicolas Maduro could cool the war of words and prevent escalation between the US and Venezuela.
Both leaders struck a more conciliatory tone with Trump saying he would probably speak with his opposite number.
Maduro says he was open to discussions.
At a World Cup event, US President Trump asked if he still has scores to settle with Venezuela.
(You suggested you've made a decision about what you want to do in Venezuela. I understand you don't want to tip your hand, but is there anything you're ready to rule out at this point? Are you ruling out U.S. Troops on the ground?)
"No, I don't rule out that. I don't rule out anything. We just have to take care of Venezuela," Trump replied: "They dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country."
Trump saying: "He is not in love with the people who run Venezuela."
(You prepared to speak with him (Nicolas Maduro) directly? Would you commit to doing that before you ordered strikes?)
I probably would talk to him, yeah, I'd talk to everybody.
(Mr. President, I wanted to just follow up on Venezuela. In these talks with Maduro, is there anything that he could say or do that would allow you to feel like he could stay with your support?)
"He's (Maduro) done tremendous damage to our country, primarily because of drugs, but really because we have that problem with other countries, too. But more than any other country, the release of prisoners into our country has been a disaster," Trump told journalists in the Oval Office.
"He's emptied his jails. Others have done that also. He has not been good to the United States. So we'll see what happens."
Trump's largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, is in the Caribbean.
The US have launched at least twenty strikes on small boats at sea suspected of carrying drugs.
More than eighty people have been killed.
The White House insist the raids are legal but Trump would "probably go to congress" before expanding them.
Increased military presence fuelling speculation of land attacks in Venezuela.
Their leader Nicolas Maduro says he's ready to talk.
"This country is at peace. In the United States, anyone who wants to talk to Venezuela will be able to do so. Face to face, without any problem,"
Maduro said but criticised the US with his next sentence: "What cannot be allowed is the bombing and massacre of the Christian people of Venezuela."
On the bustling streets of Caracas no one was getting carried away.
A teacher says "regular people still suffer, saying: our concern is putting food on the table and affording medicines."
"I've see talks before but I've not seen change", scoffs this man.
While another thinks Trump wants to take "wealth out Venezuela" with the US having no interest in liberating anyone.
