Trump Has Already Spoken With Venezuela's Maduro But No Meeting Has Been Arranged: Report

President Donald Trump has already had a phone conversation with Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, according to a new report.

The New York Times detailed that the conversation took place last week and the two discussed a potential meeting, but no conclusion was reached.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has taken a leading role in the push to remove the regime from power, was present at the call, the outlet added.

The content of the conversation was not disclosed, and there have been several reports about different approaches taken by the Trump administration to achieve its stated goals, as well as the regime's reluctance to leave.

In this context, Turkey has risen as a potential destination should an off-ramp be agreed on. The Washington Post noted that Caracas and Ankara 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.

In contrast, 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.

• Venezuelan Regime Ramps Up Repression, Detains Dozens More After U.S. Strikes
• Venezuelan Intelligence Officers Reportedly Surveilling Family Members Of People Killed By U.S. Strikes

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