Turkey Rises As Potential Exile Destination For Venezuela's Maduro If Trump Pushes Him Out: 'People Are Thinking About It'

Turkey has risen as a potential destination should Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro be pushed out of power, according to a new report.

The Washington Post noted that the two countries have friendly ties, exchanging cabinet-level visits in recent years, and have a dynamic trade relationship.

As a result, and considering that Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a good relationship with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, some in Washington D.C. are actively contemplating the possibility.

"At the end of day, what are realistic and acceptable outcomes? Obviously, people are thinking about it, working on it," a person familiar with administration deliberations told the outlet. The person said such a deal could come with guarantees. Namely, assurances that Maduro wouldn't be extradited to the U.S.

The Maduro regime has repeatedly rejected leaving power and has struck a defiant tone as the U.S. continues to amass a vast military force off its coast.

Moreover, another report from this week noted that Maduro is reluctant to agree to any deal to leave power because he doesn't believe he would get lasting amnesty.

The Wall Street Journal noted that Maduro only feels safe among loyalists, and both him and his inner circle believe the Trump administration is bluffing with its military campaign off the country's coast.

The only way to oust him, they claim, would be physically sending troops to Venezuela, something they consider unlikely. "The calculation for Maduro is that he will always be safer here than anywhere else," Phil Gunson, analyst for the International Crisis Group, told the outlet.

Moreover, staying in Venezuela under a new government could see them face prosecution for different crimes, including drug-trafficking, tacking kickbacks in the energy industry, and more. And the regime believes that a government led by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who has won the Nobel Peace Prize, would be uncompromising. In a new "Freedom Manifesto," she said the regime "must be held accountable."

Another report claimed that U.S. officials also believe it would be hard to convince Maduro to leave, but because he could be executed by Cuban handlers.

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