President Donald Trump acknowledged a report indicating that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has offered the U.S. access to Venezuela’s oil and natural resources. This comes amidst rising tensions linked to Trump’s anti-drug campaign.
Trump mentioned that Maduro’s proposal stemmed from his desire to avoid any conflict with the United States. “That’s right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want anything to do with the United States,” Trump stated during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
The New York Times had earlier reported that Maduro proposed granting existing and future oil and gold projects in Venezuela to U.S. companies, emphasizing that these firms would be given “priority” contracts. Other aspects of Maduro’s offer reportedly included cutting energy and mining contracts with adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia.
However, the Trump administration has since pulled back from considering these offers, stating a disinterest in further diplomatic talks.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has intensified efforts against Maduro’s government, often portraying him as a drug cartel leader. In August, the U.S. raised the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million, calling him “one of the world’s biggest drug traffickers.”
On September 30, a memo from the White House informed Congress that the U.S. is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug smugglers, reporting at least six attacks on vessels near Venezuela. Notably, a survivor from one of the latest incidents was detained on Thursday.
While details about that attack were not elaborated on by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump confirmed that it involved a submarine. “We attacked a submarine, and it was a drug-transporting submarine built specifically for that purpose,” he explained. His assertion emphasized that those involved were not innocent, as not many people own submarines.
Trump also disclosed that he had authorized the CIA for covert actions in Venezuela, a decision made partly because of Venezuela releasing prisoners to the U.S. and the drug influx from the country by sea. However, he sidestepped a question about whether the CIA was empowered to “remove” Maduro.
The situation has raised legal concerns, prompting bipartisan lawmakers to introduce a resolution aimed at limiting military action against Venezuela. Senators Adam Schiff, Tim Kaine, and Representative Rand Paul argued that Congress has not authorized any military force and that the U.S. should avoid slipping into a broader war in South America.
Tensions remain high as questions regarding the legality of U.S. actions persist, with some legislators emphasizing the need for clarity on military intentions in Venezuela.
