Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has sent a letter to former President Donald Trump offering “direct and frank conversation” with Special Envoy Richard Grenell, following a recent U.S. military airstrike in the Caribbean. The strike targeted a ship that Trump said was tied to the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Maduro’s government insists the vessel was innocent of gang ties.
In his Sept. 6 letter—confirmed by Caracas this weekend—Maduro attempted to push back against U.S. claims of drug trafficking connections. He blasted the accusations as “false” and claimed they were being used “to justify an escalation to armed conflict that would inflict catastrophic damage across the entire continent.”
Maduro went so far as to claim Venezuela is not a player in the regional drug trade, saying, “This data conclusively demonstrates that Venezuela is a territory free of drug production and a country not relevant in the field of narcotics. This is due to the immense effort made for years by our police and military forces.”
The embattled leader included maps from international organizations in his letter, attempting to shift blame for drug trafficking onto other countries. He insisted that U.S.-Venezuela relations should instead be “historic and peaceful” in the tradition of Simón Bolívar.
Maduro then appealed directly to Trump, writing, “President, I hope that together we can defeat the falsehoods that have sullied our relationship.” He added that he remains open to further discussion with Grenell: “These and other issues will always be open for a direct and frank conversation with your special envoy, Rick Grenell, to overcome media noise and fake news.”
While Maduro is positioning himself as a willing partner for “peace through constructive dialogue,” U.S. officials have long pointed to his regime’s corruption, ties to criminal gangs, and repressive policies as evidence that Venezuela cannot be trusted. Trump, who took a hard line on Maduro during his presidency, has yet to publicly respond to this latest overture.
