MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Maduro dares Trump to “face-to-face” conversation

Maduro spoke in English when he said “face to face”

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded on Monday to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the possibility of talks, insisting that any future dialogue must be conducted “face to face.”

Maduro’s statement came during his weekly television program hours after Trump suggested he would speak with his Venezuelan counterpart “at some point” because -as Trump claimed- “they want to talk.”

Maduro, whose legitimacy is questioned by the US and other countries, reaffirmed his government's “unchanging” position on dialogue.

“In the United States, anyone who wants to talk to Venezuela will talk, 'face to face,' without any problem,” Maduro said, switching to English for his challenge. “Dialogue. How do you say dialogue in English? Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue, dialogue, dialogue... Yes, peace, war no, never, never war.”

Maduro’s message came as the Trump administration maintains a massive military deployment in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, which Caracas views as a significant “threat” and “provocation.”

The US military operation, focused on disrupting alleged drug trafficking, has escalated rapidly with the arrival of the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier and its strike group in the Caribbean.

Since September, the US has conducted approximately 29 attacks on vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in at least 83 deaths.

Asked whether he would rule out sending US troops into Venezuela, Trump replied: “No, I don't rule it out, I don't rule anything out.”

Maduro recalled that he sent a three-page personal letter to the Republican leader in September to initiate a dialogue based on international law and to “preserve peace,” which was rejected at the time by Washington, where Maduro is wanted for drug trafficking.

The Chavista leader insisted that “only through diplomacy can free countries understand each other, and dialogue is the path to seeking truth and peace; there is no alternative to peace.”