403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
Trump Says He Held Phone Call with Maduro
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump acknowledged Sunday that he conducted a telephone conversation with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, though he refused to disclose specifics regarding the exchange.
"I don't want to comment on it. The answer is yes," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington, DC from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he spent Thanksgiving.
"I can't do that," he said, when asked to describe the call, adding: "I wouldn't say it went well or badly."
The New York Times reported Friday that both leaders connected by phone last week to discuss a potential face-to-face meeting, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.
"We consider Venezuela to be not a very friendly country. They sent millions of people, and a lot of those people shouldn't be in our country—from jails, from gangs, from drug dealers," he said.
When questioned whether his recent warning about Venezuelan airspace signaled an imminent airstrike, Trump responded: "Don't read anything into it."
The president's acknowledgment surfaces amid mounting friction between Washington and Caracas, with Trump recently proclaiming that Venezuelan airspace would be "completely shut down."
Venezuela condemned the declaration and insisted on "unconditional respect" for its airspace.
Trump's statement followed months of intensifying US military deployments throughout Latin America, positioning Marines, warships, fighter and bomber aircraft, submarines and unmanned aerial vehicles amid growing speculation that Washington could initiate military action against Venezuela.
He revealed Thursday that the US will "very soon" take action against Venezuelan drug traffickers on land following 21 military attacks at sea since September that killed at least 83 people.
Venezuela on Sunday appealed to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its member nations for unified support against US "aggression" after Maduro accused Washington of threatening to capture the nation's extensive oil reserves through "military force."
"I don't want to comment on it. The answer is yes," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington, DC from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he spent Thanksgiving.
"I can't do that," he said, when asked to describe the call, adding: "I wouldn't say it went well or badly."
The New York Times reported Friday that both leaders connected by phone last week to discuss a potential face-to-face meeting, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.
"We consider Venezuela to be not a very friendly country. They sent millions of people, and a lot of those people shouldn't be in our country—from jails, from gangs, from drug dealers," he said.
When questioned whether his recent warning about Venezuelan airspace signaled an imminent airstrike, Trump responded: "Don't read anything into it."
The president's acknowledgment surfaces amid mounting friction between Washington and Caracas, with Trump recently proclaiming that Venezuelan airspace would be "completely shut down."
Venezuela condemned the declaration and insisted on "unconditional respect" for its airspace.
Trump's statement followed months of intensifying US military deployments throughout Latin America, positioning Marines, warships, fighter and bomber aircraft, submarines and unmanned aerial vehicles amid growing speculation that Washington could initiate military action against Venezuela.
He revealed Thursday that the US will "very soon" take action against Venezuelan drug traffickers on land following 21 military attacks at sea since September that killed at least 83 people.
Venezuela on Sunday appealed to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its member nations for unified support against US "aggression" after Maduro accused Washington of threatening to capture the nation's extensive oil reserves through "military force."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Most popular stories
Market Research
More Story
Comments
No comment