President Donald Trump signalled on Sunday that his administration may be open to direct discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, even as Washington maintains military pressure in the Caribbean. Speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach before returning to Washington, Trump said, “We may be having some discussions with Maduro… They would like to talk,” but offered no details and stressed that pressure on the regime would continue.
Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the State Department would designate the alleged Venezuelan criminal network Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organisation — a move that criminalises providing material support from within the United States. U.S. officials accuse the group of working with Tren de Aragua to traffic drugs into the United States and claim Maduro is tied to the cartel, a charge he rejects.
Military pressure has also intensified. The Pentagon has deployed warships, fighter jets and a nuclear-powered submarine to the Caribbean as Washington weighs potential military action against the Maduro government.
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Any shift in U.S.–Venezuela posture could affect oil-market sentiment, though continued military deployments imply geopolitical risk remains elevated.
