WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (Reuters) – The U.S. pressure campaign against Venezuela has led “elements within the Cuban regime” to reach out to the U.S. about what the region would look like without President Nicolas Maduro leading Venezuela, two sources familiar with the contacts said on Friday.
The sources, who asked to remain anonymous to describe sensitive information, declined to say who specifically from Cuba had contacted the U.S.
“Elements within the Cuban regime reached out to the U.S.,” a source briefed on the matter said. “There have been discussions between the two about what the world would look like without a Maduro regime.”
A second source confirmed the contacts. Neither source provided further details.
Cuba issued a statement on November 25 accusing the U.S. of seeking a violent overthrow of the Venezuelan government and called the U.S. military buildup in the region an “exaggerated and aggressive” threat.
The dramatic escalation of U.S. firepower in the Latin American region includes the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group plus eight warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft.
In the statement, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said it would be extremely dangerous and irresponsible for the U.S. to overthrow Maduro’s government, as well as a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.
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A secret offer for Maduro to step down, Cuban intermediaries negotiating behind closed doors, Russian weapons flowing in, and Venezuela’s militias on full alert. The entire region now stares at a brewing multi front crisis that could ignite without warning.
Maduro’s public calls for “permanent mobilization,” activation of militia and military readiness create a tinderbox. Large-scale mobilization hardens domestic rhetoric, empowers security forces and militias to resist any transition, and makes peaceful transfer or safe extraction of a leader far more dangerous. Mobilization increases the probability of clashes, refugee flows, and regional spillover if talks fail or are perceived as capitulation.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/06/venezuela-oil-trump-maduro
Venezuela’s president asked to keep $200m of his private wealth, amnesty for his officials and safe harbour in a friendly country as part of a deal with Donald Trump to step down and flee, sources said.
Those familiar with a phone call between the two leaders told The Telegraph that the plan fell apart owing to Nicolas Maduro’s demands for a blanket amnesty for as many as 100 top officials.
During the 15-minute call, the two leaders also disagreed on how to set up a transitional government and on the location Mr Maduro would flee to from Venezuela.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/revealed-maduro-terms-surrender-trump-213054741.html