“We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see what comes of that,” Trump said. Just two weeks ago, Trump revoked the authority of his special envoy, Richard Grenell, who said a military invasion was not planned and talks with Maduro were continuing. Now Trump says he wants to continue talks with Maduro, even though Maduro has publicly said he is open to dialogue and negotiations.
I hesitate to accuse Trump of being too capricious because I very much hope that this represents a new course and a new approach to withdrawing the US naval presence just 100 miles off the Venezuelan coast and the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier within striking distance of Venezuela. Trump’s strategy may have been an attempt to intimidate Maduro and the Venezuelan military, but since that hasn’t worked, Trump is shifting into a new gear: shifting down. I hope so. If so, it shows how effective Maduro has been at confronting frustrating challenges by mobilizing Venezuela militarily and politically and urging people across the region to support the defense of Venezuela’s national sovereignty. Regardless of what people think of Maduro, the effectiveness of this response and his leadership capabilities in this context must be recognized.
