Trump floats talks with Maduro but declines to rule out troops in Venezuela

The U.S. has not ruled out putting American forces on the ground in Venezuela and is willing to hear directly from Nicolás Maduro about proposals to avert further military escalation, President Donald Trump said on Monday.

Asked if he would rule out U.S. troops on the ground in the South American country, Trump said, "No, I don't rule out that, I don't rule out anything."

He was questioned if he would speak to Maduro directly, Trump told reporters at the White House, "I probably would talk to him, yeah. I talk to everybody."

Maduro, when asked about Trump's comments on Monday, which said differences should be resolved through diplomacy and that he is willing to hold face-to-face talks with anyone interested.

"In the United States, whoever wants to talk with Venezuela will talk, face to face, without any problem," Maduro said on his weekly state television programme.

The U.S. has been waging a campaign of deadly strikes against suspected drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast and the Pacific coast of Latin America.

Maduro has repeatedly alleged that a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean is designed to drive him from power.

President Trump also said he would like to knock out cocaine factories in Colombia, while stopping short of announcing any direct military intervention there.

The official said there were many advantages that Venezuela could offer U.S. firms, though the main priority now is stopping drugs.

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