“Nicolás Maduro is running out of options to step down and leave his country under U.S.-guaranteed safe passage, following a short call with U.S. President Donald Trump last month where Trump refused a series of requests from the Venezuelan leader, according to four sources briefed on the call.” At least, that’s what British intelligence’s Reuters news agency reported last night, Dec. 1, about the content of the Nov. 21 phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump had confirmed the occurrence of the call on Nov. 30, but said little else about it.
Reuters cited three unnamed sources saying that Maduro told Trump during the call that he was willing to leave Venezuela, provided he and his family members had full legal amnesty, including the removal of all U.S. sanctions and the end of a flagship case he faces before the International Criminal Court. He also requested the removal of sanctions for over 100 Venezuelan government officials, many accused by the U.S. of human rights abuses, drug trafficking, or corruption. Trump rejected most of his requests on the call, which lasted less than 15 minutes, 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, Nov. 29, prompting Trump to declare on Nov. 30 that Venezuela’s airspace was closed, two of the sources said.
