SAEDNEWS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed to pursue peace on Venezuela’s terms at a mass rally in Caracas on Monday, as the United States weighed further action and maintained a growing military presence in the Caribbean.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro told thousands gathered outside the presidential palace that the country seeks peace “with sovereignty, equality, and freedom,” emphasizing, “We do not want a slave’s peace, nor the peace of colonies! Colony, never! Slaves, never!”
His remarks came amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump met with his national security team at the White House to discuss “next steps” on Venezuela.
The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Caracas with a regional military buildup, framing the operation as an anti-drug trafficking effort. Caracas, however, accuses Washington of using the deployment to push for Maduro’s removal.
The United States has stationed 15,000 troops in the region and deployed the world’s largest aircraft carrier, while labeling the Cartel de los Soles—a drug-trafficking organization allegedly led by Maduro—as a “terrorist” group. U.S. forces have carried out at least 21 strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, killing at least 83 people. Experts say the scale of U.S. military power far exceeds what is typically needed for counter-narcotics missions.
Meanwhile, Caracas contends that Washington’s ultimate goal is control over Venezuela’s natural resources, particularly oil. Maduro accused the United States of orchestrating “psychological terrorism,” stating, “We have endured 22 weeks of aggression that can be described as psychological terrorism.” He added, “These 22 weeks have put us to the test, and the people of Venezuela have demonstrated their love for the homeland.”
Separately, Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had a brief phone call with Maduro, describing it as neither “well nor badly.” Reuters, citing four sources familiar with the matter, reported that Trump offered Maduro safe passage out of Venezuela during the November 21 call. According to three sources, Maduro indicated willingness to leave if he and his family received full legal amnesty, including the removal of U.S. sanctions and the end of an International Criminal Court case against him.
Maduro also requested the lifting of sanctions on more than 100 Venezuelan officials accused by Washington of human rights abuses, corruption, or drug trafficking, Reuters reported. Trump rejected most of the requests but allowed Maduro one week to depart for a destination of his choosing with his family. Two sources told Reuters that the safe-passage window expired on Friday, prompting Trump to declare on Saturday that Venezuela’s airspace was closed. There was no immediate official response from either government.
Washington does not recognize Maduro—who has ruled since 2013—as Venezuela’s legitimate president. Maduro claimed re-election last year in a vote dismissed as fraudulent by the United States and several Western governments.
In a related development, Al Jazeera correspondent Teresa Bo, reporting from Cucuta on the Colombia-Venezuela border, said Maduro’s rally appearance came after rumors that he had left the country following Trump’s declaration on airspace. People crossing the Simon Bolivar bridge were reportedly “extremely concerned about the possibility of a military strike” by the United States.
Venezuelan forces have been repositioned across the country, including around Caracas, key highways to the airport, and coastal areas, Bo reported. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez showcased military equipment, including air-defense systems and fighter jets.
