"You can save yourself and those closest to you, but you must leave the country now, Trump reportedly said, offering safe passage for Maduro, his wife and his son only if he agreed to resign right away. However, Venezuela's president reportedly refused to step down immediately and allegedly made a series of counter-demands, including worldwide immunity from prosecution and being allowed to cede political control but keep control of the armed forces."
"Despite the leaked claim that Trump had given Maduro an ultimatum, many observers are sceptical the US president intends to back those threats up with large-scale military action. Maduro and most of his cohorts view the US military threats as a bluff, a source with regular contact with top Venezuela officials told the Wall Street Journal last month."
Trump placed a direct ultimatum on Maduro during a reported phone call, demanding immediate resignation in exchange for safe passage for Maduro and his family. Maduro refused to step down and countered by seeking global immunity from prosecution and proposing to cede political authority while retaining control of the armed forces. The call is thought to have occurred around 21 November and was reportedly brokered by Brazil, Qatar and Turkey. The US has deployed a significant naval presence off Venezuela’s northern coast, and many observers remain sceptical that the US will pursue large-scale military action.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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