Venezuela’s Maduro Wrote to Trump in Bid to Seek Dialogue With US

The Venezuelan government said on Sept. 21 that leader Nicolás Maduro had sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump proposing to engage in dialogue to address the differences between the two countries.

The letter, released by Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, was sent on Sept. 6, after U.S. forces struck a Venezuela-origin boat on Sept. 2 that was allegedly bound for the United States with illegal drugs.

Maduro wrote that he intends to clear up the “many controversies” in U.S.–Venezuela relations, particularly allegations that his government is tied to drug trafficking gangs, which he dismissed as “fake news.”

“This is the most egregious instance of disinformation against our nation, intended to justify an escalation to armed conflict that would inflict catastrophic damage across the entire continent,” he stated in the letter.

Maduro said that data from the United Nations and other organizations indicated that only 5 percent of drugs originating in Colombia are shipped through Venezuela. He added that Venezuelan authorities neutralized more than 70 percent of the drugs that criminals were attempting to bring across the country’s border with Colombia this year.

The Venezuelan president also denied reports that his government refused the return of deported migrants, saying that the issue has been resolved after discussions with Richard Grenell, U.S. presidential envoy for special missions.

Maduro called on Trump to engage in “constructive dialogue” to promote peace and build “mutual understanding throughout the hemisphere.” He also offered to hold “a direct and frank conversation” with Grenell.

“President, I hope that together we can defeat the falsehoods that have sullied our relationship, which must be historic and peaceful, as always envisioned by our liberator, Simón Bolivar,” he stated.

Rodriguez said the letter was delivered to a South American intermediary on Sept. 6.

The White House confirmed that it has reviewed Maduro’s letter.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Sept. 22 that the letter contains “a lot of lies” and the Trump administration’s stance on Venezuela remains unchanged.

“We have seen this letter,” Leavitt said. “We view the Maduro regime as illegitimate, and the president has clearly shown that he’s willing to use any and all means necessary to stop the illegal trafficking of deadly drugs from the Venezuelan regime into the United States.”

When asked by a reporter on Sept. 21 if he had received the letter, Trump said, “I don’t want to say. We’ll see what happens with Venezuela.”

In a Truth Social post on Sept. 21, Trump urged Venezuela to take back all prisoners and “people from mental institutions” who he said were “forced into the United States” by the Venezuelan leadership.

“Thousands of people have been badly hurt, and even killed, by these ‘Monsters,’” the U.S. president wrote, adding in all caps, “Get them the hell out of our country, right now, or the price you pay will be incalculable.”

Trump did not specify the prisoners in question or what actions he would take.

Since early September, the U.S. military has carried out strikes on three boats in the Caribbean suspected of carrying illegal narcotics to the United States. Eleven alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang were killed in the first strike, which occurred on Sept. 2.

The second strike, announced by Trump on Sept. 15, and the third one on Sept. 19 each killed three suspected drug traffickers on board.