The White House has issued a clear warning to Venezuelan President Maduro, demanding he resign and leave Venezuela immediately to avoid U.S. military action. This Maduro ultimatum comes as Washington positions forces for potential land operations.
A recent phone call between the U.S. and Caracas was meant to ease tensions, but talks quickly stalled. Washington insisted that Maduro and his top officials step down at once, while Caracas suggested giving political control to the opposition but keeping the military under regime leadership. The proposal was rejected.
Sources say the U.S. offered safe passage for Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores, and their son only if they left immediately. Maduro asked for global amnesty and to retain command of the armed forces in exchange for free elections, but both demands were denied.
The U.S. accuses Maduro and his allies of running the Cartel de los Soles, a drug trafficking network. In 2020, the Justice Department indicted him and more than a dozen top officials, labeling the regime a “narco-terrorist enterprise.” A $50 million bounty has been placed on Maduro, the largest ever for a sitting head of state.
President Trump announced that U.S. military operations, which had focused on intercepting suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, would expand to Venezuelan territory. He said the armed forces would act “very soon” to disrupt the cartel’s operations.
The call broke down over three main issues: global amnesty, control of the military, and immediate resignation. Madurorefused to step down, ending the talks.
Following the failed negotiation, Trump declared Venezuelan airspace closed, a move interpreted as a warning of imminent military action. Flights have been rerouted, and several airlines suspended operations.
The U.S. also designated the Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, putting Maduro, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López in the same category as al-Qaeda and ISIS. This designation allows Washington more legal authority to act without congressional approval.
Critics in Venezuela called the Maduro ultimatum a pretext for U.S. intervention, accusing Washington of trying to seize the country’s oil resources. Maduro and his allies said the cartel is an American invention and vowed to stay united.
U.S. military forces have surged near Venezuela, including the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, additional warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 fighter jets. Pentagon officials say these deployments target drug traffickers, though the scale of the force suggests preparation for potential land operations.
The Maduro ultimatum signals a major escalation in U.S.-Venezuela relations, offering safe passage if he and his family leave immediately, but warning of serious consequences if he refuses.
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