The safe passage offer reportedly lapsed, after which the US announced a no-fly zone over Venezuela
US President Donald Trump gave his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, an ultimatum to flee the country last month after weeks of increasing military pressure and deadly strikes on boats, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous sources.
The call reportedly took place on November 21, shortly before the Trump administration designated Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist group, an organization they claim is headed by Maduro and accuse of trafficking drugs into the US.
Caracas has denied the allegations, accusing Washington of preparing a regime-change operation to seize Venezuela’s vast resource reserves.
According to Reuters, Maduro told Trump that he was willing to leave the country if he and his family were provided amnesty from all US sanctions, and a case brought against him in the International Criminal Court is ended.
He also asked for the removal of sanctions from more than 100 Venezuelan officials, and offered that Vice President Delcy Rodriguez would run a transitional government until new elections take place, the news agency claimed, citing sources.
Trump reportedly rejected most of the requests during the roughly 15-minute phone call, and said Maduro and his family have one week to leave Venezuela.
The deadline expired on Friday, prompting Trump to declare the country’s airspace closed, Reuters wrote.
On Sunday, Trump confirmed that the phone call took place, but provided no details.
Washington has maintained that Maduro is an illegitimate, cartel-linked ruler, while amassing a massive military contingent off Venezuela, and authorizing the CIA to conduct lethal covert operations in the area. US forces have carried out strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific that they said were smuggling narcotics, killing scores of people.
Maduro has dismissed the accusations as a pretext for a regime-change war and a resource grab.
