President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States may open talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, marking a potential shift as tensions rise and Washington expands its military presence in the Caribbean.
Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach that Maduro “would like to talk,” but offered no further details. Washington has long accused the Venezuelan leader of links to drug trafficking, allegations Maduro rejects.
The remarks follow three senior-level meetings at the White House last week to review possible military options against Venezuela, including limited land strikes, according to officials familiar with the discussions. Trump said on Friday that he had “sort of made up” his mind on the issue, indicating that a decision could come soon. Caracas did not immediately comment.
Earlier on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the United States would designate Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organisation.
U.S. officials accuse the group of working with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to transport narcotics into the United States and allege that Maduro oversees the network, a claim he denies. Asked whether the designation could allow the United States to target Maduro’s assets, Trump said it “allows us to do that,” while stressing that no decision had been taken.
The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford and its strike group had moved into the Caribbean, joining eight warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft already deployed.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have condemned recent U.S. boat strikes targeting suspected drug traffickers as extrajudicial killings. Some U.S. allies have also raised concerns about the operations’ legality.
The White House argues that the United States is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels and says military personnel involved in the strikes are protected under a Justice Department legal opinion.
Venezuela has accused Washington of violating international law and says it is preparing its defences.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Friday found that only 35% of respondents support the use of U.S. military force inside Venezuela without the government's approval.
Trump’s comments came as the Pentagon announced another strike on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing three people described as “narco-terrorists.” It was the twenty-first such operation since early September, bringing the total reported deaths to more than eighty.
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The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August 30 and 2 September.
From mounting concerns over record global debt levels to growing tensions over China's trade surplus and Russia's return to the negotiating table, this year's G20 finance meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, highlighted the challenges confronting the global economy.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas says the bloc will tighten enforcement of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign ministers were meeting in Ireland following renewed Russian strikes on cities across Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected claims that Moroccan authorities orchestrated July’s deadly mass border crossing into Ceuta, saying Spain has found no evidence that Rabat planned or carried out the incident.
Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service, PET, has warned that Russia is actively preparing sabotage operations against targets in the country, with defence companies supporting Ukraine seen as a particular focus.
Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to raise bilateral trade to $200 million within two years, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded a three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan.
The latest escalation between the United States and Iran is being fought not only on the ground and at sea, but increasingly in the skies above the Gulf where a missile launch or intercepted drone can force an aircraft thousands of metres above the region to change course.
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