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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Friday that he will soon speak with the ruler of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, although he declined to provide details about the content of that conversation.
"I will speak with him in the near future. I can't tell you what, but I have something very specific to say," Trump stated in an interview with Brian Kilmeade from Fox News.
The President assured that the United States will be "very involved" in the situation, although without providing details.
He stated that he has been informed about options for military operations within Venezuela, but his words seemed to leave open the possibility of a diplomatic approach, trusting that U.S. pressure could force Maduro to resign without resorting to direct military action.
This is not the first time that the head of the White House has mentioned a possible dialogue with Maduro.
Last Sunday, he hinted that he would "probably" speak with him "at some point."
"It's possible that we are talking, that we are having conversations with Maduro. We'll see how it turns out. They would like to talk," he stated from the airport in West Palm Beach, Florida.
For his part, Maduro responded by stating that he would be willing to engage in a dialogue with Trump.
"Anyone who wants to speak with Venezuela will do so face to face," declared the dictator on state television.
"Only through diplomacy should free countries and governments understand each other, and only through dialogue should they seek common ground on matters of mutual interest," he emphasized.
Tension in the region has been escalating since the United States began attacking vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking, both in the Caribbean and the Pacific, resulting in 22 boats sunk and 83 dead.
This is in addition to the deployment of more than a dozen warships and 15,000 U.S. soldiers in the region, as part of the operation called "Southern Lance" by the Pentagon.
On Monday, November 24, the designation of the so-called Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) will take effect.
This measure allows for the imposition of financial and diplomatic sanctions, such as asset freezes, and has been used as a precursor to justify military action against vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The uncertainty persists regarding whether the Trump administration will order direct military operations on Venezuelan soil and when a concrete decision will be made.
Meanwhile, the tension and the increase in U.S. pressure create an atmosphere of anticipation and concern regarding stability in the region.
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