Venezuelan President Maduro Open to US Dialogue on Drug Trafficking and Oil

Fri Jan 02 2026 09:05:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a recent interview, Nicolás Maduro expressed willingness to engage with the US regarding critical issues like drug trafficking and oil amidst increasing tensions and military actions.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced his openness to discussions with the United States on drug trafficking and oil, reflecting a potential shift in diplomatic dynamics. This comes amid heightened US military operations targeting suspected drug smuggling activities linked to Venezuela. Over the past three months, US forces have conducted multiple strikes on vessels thought to be involved in narcotics trafficking, leading to significant casualties. Maduro’s remarks follow recent allegations of US military activity within Venezuela, including drone strikes, heightening the complexity of relations between the two nations.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said on Thursday he was open to talks with the US on drug trafficking and oil, after weeks of an escalating pressure campaign against his government.

In an interview with Venezuelan state TV, Maduro stated he was ready for dialogue with the US 'wherever they want and whenever they want'.

He avoided commenting on President Donald Trump's claim that the US had attacked a docking facility in Venezuela, an action reportedly executed by the CIA. The BBC has reached out to the White House for clarification.

This development comes as US forces have targeted vessels believed to be smuggling narcotics through the Caribbean and eastern Pacific over the past three months. There have been over 30 strikes on vessels as part of the Trump administration's 'war on drugs', resulting in more than 110 fatalities since the first attack on a boat on September 2.

The latest operation occurred on Wednesday when two boats allegedly transporting drugs were struck, killing five individuals on board, according to US military reports.

On Monday, Trump mentioned a US strike on a 'dock area' associated with alleged Venezuelan drug boats, which he described as resulting in a 'major explosion'. Reports from CNN and the New York Times indicated that this blast was the outcome of a CIA drone strike, and if confirmed, it would mark the first known US operation inside Venezuelan territory.

During the interview, Maduro was evasive regarding the nature of the attack, suggesting that it might be a topic for discussion in the near future. Besides drug trafficking, he indicated readiness to talk on issues related to oil and migration.

Trump has previously accused Maduro of unlawfully emptying prisons and insane asylums, allegedly pushing inmates to migrate to the US.

The US has also intensified efforts against sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela, with an oil tanker seized on December 10, described by the US as transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. Venezuela labeled this seizure an act of 'international piracy'.

Legal experts suggest that the US operations against alleged drug boats may violate international conflict laws, although the US Southern Command maintains that intelligence supports their claims of narcotics trafficking activity.