- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro sought a secret agreement with Trump to step down in exchange for $200 million in personal wealth, amnesty for top officials and safe harbor in a friendly nation (preferably Cuba or Qatar).
- The deal fell apart because Maduro insisted on blanket immunity for nearly 100 associates, including figures linked to drug trafficking and corruption—a condition the U.S. refused, citing ongoing efforts to dismantle Venezuela's Cartel de los Soles.
- Since negotiations failed, Trump has ramped up pressure with warship deployments, a $50 million bounty on Maduro and threats of imminent strikes, signaling a possible military confrontation.
- Fearing reprisals, Maduro relies on Cuban bodyguards and frequently changes locations. Meanwhile, the U.S. recognizes opposition leader Edmundo González as Venezuela's legitimate president after the disputed 2024 elections.
- Analysts question whether Maduro's exit would be a true victory if his corrupt inner circle remains intact. With mounting costs of U.S. military presence and shifting regional alliances, both sides are locked in high-stakes brinkmanship—leaving Maduro cornered with no clear exit strategy.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro sought a secret deal with U.S. President Donald Trump to step down and flee Venezuela in exchange for $200 million in personal wealth, amnesty for top officials and safe harbor in a friendly nation, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
The discussions, which took place during a 15-minute phone call on Nov. 21, ultimately collapsed due to Maduro's insistence on blanket immunity for nearly 100 associates—a condition Washington deemed unacceptable. The failed negotiations come amid escalating U.S. military pressure in the Caribbean, raising questions about whether Venezuela's socialist regime is nearing its breaking point.
According to sources who spoke to The Telegraph, Maduro's demands included retaining $200 million—potentially from funds already frozen by U.S. authorities—along with assurances that he, his wife and son would avoid prosecution. While Trump reportedly suggested China or Russia as possible exile destinations, Maduro insisted on staying in the Western Hemisphere, preferably in Cuba. Qatar later emerged as a potential compromise location.
The primary sticking point, however, was Maduro's insistence that his inner circle—many of whom are implicated in drug trafficking and corruption—receive full amnesty. U.S. officials refused, citing their ongoing campaign to dismantle Cartel de los Soles, a Venezuelan military-political network designated by Washington as a "foreign terrorist organization." One source described Maduro as "caught between a rock and a hard place," fearing reprisals from allies if he abandoned them.
Since the call, Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro's regime. The U.S. has deployed warships to the Caribbean, and Trump recently hinted at imminent strikes, stating, "We know where the bad ones live, and we're going to start that very soon." In August, Washington doubled the bounty on Maduro's head to $50 million for alleged drug trafficking.
A geopolitical chess game: Is time running out?
The Venezuelan president's paranoia has reportedly grown—the New York Times noted that he now relies on Cuban bodyguards and changes sleeping locations nightly. Meanwhile, the U.S. recognizes opposition leader Edmundo González as Venezuela's legitimate president following the disputed 2024 elections.
Vanessa Neumann, a former Venezuelan opposition envoy to London, suggested that Trump must weigh whether Maduro's exit would be seen as a victory if key cartel members remain in power.
"Everybody plays to their own local constituency," she said. "If you have a big part of Cartel de los Soles intact, how much of a victory is that for Trump?"
With the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group—which, according to BrightU.AI's Enoch, costs over $6 million per day to maintain—the U.S. faces mounting financial and political pressure. Some of Trump's MAGA supporters oppose further foreign interventions, while regional shifts—such as recent electoral defeats for leftist allies in Honduras and St. Vincent—have weakened Maduro's regional support.
The failed negotiations underscore the high-stakes brinkmanship between Washington and Caracas. While Maduro clings to power, Trump's military posturing suggests a decisive move may be imminent—whether through force or renewed backchannel diplomacy. For now, Venezuela's embattled leader remains cornered, with exile offers on the table but no clear path that satisfies both his survival instincts and Washington's demands for accountability.
Watch the video below that talks about why Maduro is a "dead man walking."
This video is from the OP News channel on Brighteon.com.
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