Maduro says Venezuela ready to negotiate drug trafficking deal with US
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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Thursday that his government is open to negotiating a deal with the United States after months of American military pressure targeting drug trafficking networks affiliated with his government.
In a pre-recorded interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet broadcast on state television, Maduro said Venezuela was “ready” to discuss its drug trafficking deal with the United States. He called on countries to “start talking seriously with the data available.”
“The US government knows because we have told many of their spokespeople that we are ready if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking,” he said. “If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, as in Chevron, whenever, wherever and however they want it.”
Chevron Corp. It is currently the only major US oil company exporting Venezuelan crude oil to the US.
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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro watches a meeting of the National Assembly in Caracas on August 22, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)
Maduro said the United States wants regime change in Venezuela and access to oil reserves through a months-long pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea. in August.
He said it was clear that the United States wanted to “impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force.”
The interview was recorded on New Year’s Eve, the day the US military announced a kinetic attack on two ships operated by drug-trafficking terrorist organizations that killed five people.
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attended the rally held in Caracas on December 10. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)
At least 114 people have been killed since the United States began bombing boats allegedly smuggling drugs in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in early September.
The United States may be signaling a possible expansion of its Venezuela-focused campaign, including potential ground operations.
President Donald Trump confirmed last week’s attack targeted a Venezuelan port used for drug smuggling, but declined to say whether the operation was carried out by the US military or another agency such as the CIA.
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Maduro declined to comment on this strike during the interview, but said he could “talk about this issue in a few days.”
In recent weeks, Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro, ordering a complete blockade of oil tankers entering and exiting Venezuela, labeling his regime a foreign terrorist organization and accusing him of using stolen U.S. assets to finance terrorism, drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
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US authorities also seized two ships carrying sanctioned oil.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, Morgan Phillips, Jasmine Baehr and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
