America offers Maduro absolution
Date
8/12/2024 6:19:06 AM
(MENAFN) American officials have reportedly extended an offer to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, proposing to drop "narco-terrorism" charges against him if he agrees to transfer power to his Political adversaries. This development was reported by the Wall Street Journal on Sunday.
Maduro, who secured a third term in office by defeating opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in last month's presidential election, won by a margin of 51.2 percent to 44.2 percent. Despite his victory, Gonzalez’s supporters allege that the election was marred by fraud, and the United States officially recognized Gonzalez as Venezuela's president-elect earlier this month.
The Wall Street Journal's sources indicate that Washington is actively seeking to persuade Maduro to relinquish control to Gonzalez. In covert discussions with Maduro’s associates, the White House has reportedly offered to pardon Maduro and his allies, who are currently under indictment in the United States on drug-related charges. The American proposal is part of a broader diplomatic effort that includes enlisting the support of Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia—countries with leftist governments perceived as sympathetic to Caracas—to convince Maduro to accept the proposed deal.
In addition to the United States offer, Gonzalez’s supporters have reportedly promised security guarantees for Maduro if he agrees to step down. The Unites States Justice Department had previously unsealed indictments in 2020 against Maduro and over a dozen Venezuelan political and military leaders, accusing them of "narco-terrorism" and conspiring to "flood the United States with cocaine." The State Department also announced a USD15 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, with additional rewards of up to USD10 million for each of his co-defendants.
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