Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Washington, November 29 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last week, The New York Times (NYT) reported on Friday, citing sources.
The two leaders discussed the possibility of a face-to-face meeting, although no agreements were reached, according to the report. The report also noted that the White House and the Venezuelan government declined to comment on the conversation, which also included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The conversation between Donald Trump and Nicolás Maduro took place several days before a US State Department regulation went into effect. According to this decision, the Cartel de los Soles, allegedly led by Nicolás Maduro, will be added to the list of foreign terrorist organizations, the NYT reports.
Two people close to the Venezuelan government also confirmed the telephone conversations between the two leaders.
In his Thanksgiving Day address to U.S. troops Thursday evening, Donald Trump suggested the United States could begin combating drug trafficking from Venezuela on land "very soon."
"Seaborne shipments have been cut off by 85 percent… and we'll start stopping them on land," Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago estate. "It's easier to do on land, and it'll start very soon."
Since early September, the Pentagon has carried out more than 20 strikes on suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing more than 80 people.
The massive aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrived in the Caribbean last week, bolstering the U.S. military presence in the region to its largest in 30 years.
N. Maduro denies any involvement in drug trafficking, accusing the United States of “fabricating” a pretext for war in order to change the regime in Venezuela. –0–
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