Crucial Ultimatum Forces Venezuelan Leader Maduro To Face His Final Decision
In a dramatic high-stakes phone call, President Donald Trump delivered a stark ultimatum to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro: resign immediately and leave the country, or face the consequences.
Sources familiar with the tense exchange reveal that Trump offered safe passage for Maduro and his immediate family, but only if he relinquished power without delay. This pivotal conversation marks a boiling point in the escalating pressure campaign by Washington against the Venezuelan regime.
Maduro Presented a List of Demands
The highly unusual call, which unconfirmed reports have indicated took place on November 21, came after months of mounting U.S. pressure. This included designating a group associated with Maduro, the Cartel de los Soles, as a foreign terrorist organization and conducting military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean.
During the call, which was recently first reported by the New York Times, Maduro presented a list of demands. He requested full legal amnesty for himself and his family, the lifting of U.S. sanctions against more than 100 Venezuelan officials, and an end to the case he faces before the International Criminal Court. He also proposed that Vice President Delcy Rodriguez lead an interim government until new elections could be held.
Trump flatly rejected most of these requests. Instead, he presented a non-negotiable offer: a one-week window for Maduro and his family to depart Venezuela for a destination of their choice. That deadline has since expired, leading Trump to declare Venezuela’s airspace “closed in its entirety,” a move that has intensified fears of a direct confrontation.
A Stalled Last-Ditch Effort
The call, reportedly brokered by Brazil, Qatar, and Turkey, appears to have been a final attempt to find a peaceful resolution. However, the negotiations quickly stalled over three critical issues. “First, Maduro asked for global amnesty for any crimes he and his group had committed, and that was rejected,” a source told the Miami Herald. “Second, they asked to retain control of the armed forces.”
The third and final breaking point was the timing, with the U.S. demanding an immediate resignation, which Caracas was unwilling to accept.
Following the failed negotiation and Trump’s subsequent airspace closure announcement, the Maduro government reportedly attempted to initiate another call with Washington but received no response.
Defiance in Caracas
In the face of mounting international pressure, Maduro has put on a show of defiance. On Monday, he addressed a crowd of supporters in Caracas, vowing his unwavering commitment to the Venezuelan people. “We want peace, but peace with sovereignty, equality, freedom! We do not want a slave’s peace, nor the peace of colonies!” Maduro declared at the rally.
His administration has consistently denied all criminal accusations, claiming the U.S. is seeking to overthrow his government to seize control of Venezuela’s rich oil reserves.
As the standoff continues, it remains unclear whether another opportunity for a negotiated exit will arise or if the escalating tensions will push the region closer to conflict. For now, the future of Venezuela hangs precariously in the balance, caught between a leader clinging to power and a U.S. administration determined to see him gone.
