Revealed: how the Vatican and Russia sought a way out for Maduro before his capture by the U.S.

In the days leading up to his capture by U.S. special forces, Nicolás Maduro was at the center of an intense and discreet international diplomatic offensive aimed at removing him from power without resorting to military intervention.

Secret meetings, asylum offers, and high-level mediations characterized a race against time that ended in failure, as revealed by The Washington Post in an investigation based on government documents and testimonies from nearly twenty sources.

One of the most sensitive episodes occurred on Christmas Eve, when Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's number two and an experienced diplomatic mediator, urgently summoned the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See to seek clarity on Washington's plans in Venezuela.

According to the documents cited by The Washington Post, Parolin admitted that Maduro should relinquish power, but he insisted that a safe exit be offered to avoid a bloodbath and further regional destabilization.

The Vatican was not acting alone. Russia, Caracas's strategic ally for years, was willing to grant asylum to Maduro and key members of his circle, with security guarantees backed by Vladimir Putin himself, according to a source cited by the American newspaper. The proposal included allowing him to leave the country and keep part of his fortune, but the Venezuelan leader never accepted.

For weeks, intermediaries from Qatar, Turkey, and unofficial envoys tried to persuade Maduro to leave. Alternatives for exile in Turkish territory were even discussed, along with last-minute warnings about an imminent operation. Nothing worked.

According to individuals familiar with the negotiations, the Venezuelan leader underestimated the signals from Washington and bet that the United States would not take the final step.

Meanwhile, in the White House, a plan was being refined for the "day after." The government of Donald Trump, influenced by intelligence assessments, decided to break away from traditional opposition and began to view Delcy Rodríguez, the vice president and a central figure of chavismo, as a viable option to lead a controlled transition.

The calculation, according to The Washington Post, was that an internal replacement would be more likely to maintain control of the State and prevent an institutional collapse.

Negotiations came to a definitive end when Trump opted for the military option. Days later, a U.S. raid in Venezuela resulted in dozens of deaths and concluded with Maduro's capture and his transfer to New York to face drug trafficking charges.