Trump suggested Maduro flee Venezuela

Maduro exhausted all possibilities of resigning and leaving the country under a safe passage guarantee from the US after a brief phone call with Trump last month, during which Trump rejected a number of requests from the Venezuelan leader, Reuters reports.

The conversation, which took place on November 21, followed months of increased US pressure on Venezuela, including strikes on ships allegedly involved in drug smuggling in the Caribbean, repeated threats by Trump to expand military operations on land, and the designation of the Cartel de los Soles, a group that the Trump administration claims includes Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization.

Maduro and his government have always denied all criminal charges and claimed that the US is seeking regime change in order to take control of Venezuela's vast natural resources, including oil.

Maduro told Trump during a phone call that he was willing to leave Venezuela on condition that he and his family members be granted full amnesty, including the lifting of all US sanctions and the termination of the case against him by the International Criminal Court.

He asked for the lifting of sanctions against more than 100 Venezuelan officials, many of whom the US accuses of human rights violations, drug trafficking, or corruption.

Maduro asked Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to head a transitional government until new elections are held.

Trump rejected most of Maduro's requests during a phone call that lasted less than 15 minutes, but said he had a week to leave Venezuela with his family members.

That deadline expired on Friday, prompting Trump to announce on Saturday that he was closing Venezuela's airspace.

On Sunday, Trump confirmed that he had spoken with Maduro, without providing details.

Photo: panampost.com.