US Ramps Up Pressure on Venezuela, Maduro Rejects A Slave’s Peace

By Staff, Agencies

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeated calls for peace and pledged “absolute loyalty” to his people at a rally attended by thousands in Caracas, as tensions escalate over potential military action by the United States.

The rally on Monday came as US President Donald Trump met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the “next steps” on Venezuela, according to media reports.

Maduro, addressing a crowd waving Venezuelan flags outside the Miraflores Palace, said his country wanted peace, but only a peace “with sovereignty, equality and freedom”.

“We do not want a slave’s peace, nor the peace of colonies! Colony, never! Slaves, never!” he said.

The Trump administration has been piling pressure on Venezuela with a military buildup in the Caribbean, in what it calls an anti-drug trafficking campaign. Caracas says the actions are aimed at toppling Maduro’s government.

Maduro on Monday accused the US of waging a campaign of “psychological terrorism”.

 “We have endured 22 weeks of aggression,” he said. “These 22 weeks have put us to the test, and the people of Venezuela have demonstrated their love for the homeland,” he added.

Trump, meanwhile, confirmed on Sunday that he spoke to Maduro on the phone, but declined to give details, saying it did not go “well or badly”.

The Reuters news agency, citing four sources familiar with the matter, reported on Monday that Trump offered Maduro safe passage out of Venezuela during the call on November 21.

Maduro told Trump he was willing to leave Venezuela, provided he and his family members had full legal amnesty, including the removal of all US sanctions and the end of a flagship case he faces before the International Criminal Court [ICC], Reuters reported, citing three of the sources.

Maduro also requested removal of sanctions for more than 100 Venezuelan government officials, many accused by the US of human rights abuses, drug trafficking or corruption, Reuters said.

Trump rejected most of his requests on the call, but told Maduro he had a week to leave Venezuela for the destination of his choice alongside his family members.

That safe passage expired on Friday, prompting Trump to declare on Saturday that Venezuela’s airspace was closed, two of the sources told Reuters.

There was no immediate comment from the US or Venezuela about the report.