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Once more with feeling? US holds ‘secret’ talks with Venezuela officials
Faced with eight months of failed regime-change efforts, the US is trying to achieve its goals in Venezuela by holding secret talks with members of the government in Caracas, to the dismay of hawks and US-backed opposition.
Following news reports about the secret negotiations, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and US President Donald Trump have both confirmed some kind of talks were going on, but would not say more.
“We’ve had secret meetings in secret places with secret people that nobody knows,” Maduro said, adding that he personally authorized the talks. “There’s been contact and we’ll continue having contact.”
“I don’t want to say who,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday, when asked about Venezuela. “But we’re talking at a very high level.”
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Citing multiple anonymous sources, AP and the Wall Street Journal reported that the talks involved Diosdado Cabello, head of the Constituent Assembly in Caracas. The body was elected in 2017 to draft a new constitution, but the US has refused to recognize it, insisting that the National Assembly last elected in 2015 was Venezuela’s only legitimate legislature, and even recognizing its chair Juan Guaido as “interim president” of the country.
Cabello, however, described the rumors of his participation as a “lie” and “manipulation.” He would only agree to meet with the highest-ranking officials, in Venezuela, and with Maduro’s approval, he added.
“I meet with the owners of the circus, not with those who work for them,” he told reporters.
#19Ago Ante el reportaje de AP, que insinúa que Diosdado Cabello se reunió con funcionarios estadounidenses, este recalcó que únicamente se reúne con cualquiera "bajo tres condiciones: aprobado por el presidente Maduro, por Venezuela y aquí en Venezuela" pic.twitter.com/bkCfRNKAEQ
— Somos Tu Voz
