Maduro offers help to Trump to capture Venezuelan gang leaders, says agency

Donald Trump, president of the US, and Nicolás Maduro, leader of Chavismo in Venezuela Kevin Lamarque and Manaure Quintero/Reuters, Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro offered to help Donald Trump capture leaders of Aragua’s Tren da Aragua drug cartel on Friday (26). The proposal was made in early September, after the US mobilized military personnel for anti -animal operations in the Caribbean. Maduro has sought to resume negotiations with Washington and, according to sources heard by the agency, said he could collaborate in the location of the most sought after bosses in the criminal group, which operates in several countries of the Americas and became a priority for the Trump government. Aragua’s Tren: What is the Venezuelan gang that the Trump government has classified as a terrorist ✅ click here to follow the G1 international news channel on WhatsApp the initiative was accompanied by a letter sent to Trump, in which the Venezuelan president calls for direct dialogue to reduce tensions between the two countries. The document was sent a few days after the first US attack to a Venezuelan vessel that, according to Trump, was carrying drug traffickers. Tensions between Trump and Maduro have increased since a month ago, the US has mobilized eight war ships in the region on the grounds of combating drug trafficking. Trump also accused Maduro of leading a cartel, increasing speculation about possible military intervention in Venezuela. The clash between the leaders is not from now. In 2017, in his first term, Donald Trump even spoke of “military option” to Venezuela. Already in March 2020, the US formally accused mature of narcoterrorism. Currently, the US government offers a reward of $ 50 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the Chavista leader. Trump intensifies pressure on mature; Understanding Trump’s letter of tension in the letter, seen by Reuters agency, Maduro rejected US allegations that Venezuela played a major role in drug trafficking, noting that only 5% of drugs produced in Colombia are sent through Venezuela according to Maduro, says Reuters, 70% of drugs were neutralized and destroyed by Venezuelan authorities. “President, I hope that together we can defeat the falsehoods that have stained our relationship, which must be historical and peaceful,” Maduro wrote in the letter. “These and other issues will always be open to direct and free conversation with their special envoy (Richard Grenell) to overcome media noise and fake news.” He noted that Grenell helped quickly resolve previous allegations that Venezuela was refusing to accept migrants back, adding, “So far, this channel has worked perfectly.” The twice a week deportation flights that carry illegal migrants back to Venezuela remained uninterrupted despite US attacks, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Maduro’s letter was dated September 6, four days after a US attack to a ship that the Trump government claimed, without evidence, being transporting drug traffickers. Video shows USA attacking the Caribbean boat The attack killed 11 people who, according to Trump, were members of the Aragua Tren gang and were involved in trafficking. On Saturday (20), Trump redoubled his pressure campaign, alerting in a post on his social Truth platform that Venezuela must accept the return of all prisoners that, according to him, Venezuela forced to go to the US, or pay an “incalculable” price. The Venezuelan government, which says it has sent tens of thousands of soldiers to combat drug trafficking and defend the country, said none of the people killed in the first attack belonged to Aragua’s Tren. It also denies accusations of links between high -ranking Venezuelan authorities and drug gangs. Maduro repeatedly claimed that the US expects to get him out of power. Last US attack last week, Trump announced at least the third attack on alleged drug vessels in Venezuela amid a large US military reinforcement in southern Caribbean, which includes seven war ships, nuclear submarine and F-35 fighters. The attack killed “three narcoterrorist men aboard the boat,” Trump said without providing evidence. Trump denied this week that he is interested in a change of regime in Venezuela, but Washington doubled last month the reward for information leading to Maduro prison to $ 50 million, accusing him of calls with drug trafficking and criminal groups. Trump government says it will use ‘all the strength’ against Maduro in Venezuela Maduro reiterated his denial on his letter to Trump. “This is the most striking example of misinformation against our nation, with the intention of justifying a climb to the armed conflict that would inflict catastrophic damage throughout the continent,” he wrote in his letter to Trump. The Trump administration seems divided over Venezuela, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, leading the pressure campaign against Maduro, while Grenell, who acted as an interim director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, and others boost diplomacy. In his letter, Maduro said he communicated and will continue to communicate with Grenell, who helped organize deportation flights, some directly to Caracas and others via Honduras. Military action rumors on Saturday (20), the newspaper “The New York Times” stressed that US attacks on Venezuelan boats in the Caribbean showed the increased significant naval and air presence of the Pentagon in the region. The presence of F-35 fighters in Puerto Rico indicates that US plans go beyond exploding small vessels, NYT said. There are 4,500 military waiting for war ships in the area, a small amount to invade a country, the newspaper said. Military, diplomats and analysts consulted by NYT state that the main purpose is to press President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump government considers mature an illegitimate leader and is accused of commanding criminal gangs and drug cartels. However, experts consulted by the newspaper suggest that the US intends to implement specially clandestine special operations elite forces in Venezuela. Thus, attacks within Venezuela herself may be underway.

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