Maduro confirms Trump phone call was cordial as US pressure campaign intensifies

Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro has confirmed he held a "respectful and cordial" phone conversation with US President Donald Trump roughly ten days ago, casting the exchange as a possible path toward fresh push to end tensions.

Speaking during a televised event in Caracas, Maduro said the conversation lasted several minutes and centred on the potential for direct engagement between the two governments. He said that any move toward "respectful dialogue" would be welcomed by his administration.

He made similar remarks in earlier interviews, insisting the tone of the exchange reflected "respect and cordiality" despite the fraught state of relations. He framed it as an opening that could ease the standoff that has defined bilateral ties since the Trump administration intensified its campaign of pressure on Caracas.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump also said that a conversation took place but has avoided giving details, and the White House has provided no public account of the call.

WASHINGTON MAINTAINS PRESSURE

The phone call comes against the backdrop of escalating American pressure on Venezuela, including maritime interdictions, expanded sanctions and repeated warnings from US military leaders about what they describe as state-linked criminal networks operating in the Caribbean.

The administration has in recent months broadened its targeting of groups it says are tied to elements of Venezuela’s security apparatus, including the Cartel de los Soles, which it has designated as a foreign terrorist organisation.

Maduro has responded to the heightened pressure by ordering expanded military patrols, reinforcing coastal defences and accusing the US of undermining Venezuelan sovereignty. He has told supporters that the country remains prepared to defend itself, even as he continues to publicly endorse the idea of dialogue.

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With inputs from Reuters