"They can hold dialogue anywhere, anytime they want," Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on 1/1, when asked about potential discussions with the US concerning drugs, oil, and migration issues. This statement comes amidst heightened tensions between the two nations.

When questioned about US President Donald Trump's announcement that Washington attacked a dock suspected of harboring drug-carrying vessels in Venezuela on 29/12, Maduro neither confirmed nor denied the incident. "This is something we might discuss in the coming days," the Venezuelan president added, deferring immediate comment.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas in 11/2025. Photo: AFP

Despite his non-committal stance on the specific attack, Maduro asserted that Venezuela had "defended itself well" when the US conducted its maritime military operation. He emphasized that the Venezuelan people remained "safe and living in peace." The US president did not specify which forces attacked the dock or by what means, but the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is widely believed to have carried out the operation. This event marked the first US attack on a mainland target in Venezuela.

The US has consistently increased pressure on President Maduro's administration in recent months, deploying military assets to the region under the pretext of anti-drug missions. Since September, US military airstrikes on suspected drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean and Pacific have resulted in over 100 fatalities. Maduro, in response, has accused the US of attempting to overthrow his government and "plunder" Venezuela's significant oil resources.

By Ngoc Anh (According to AFP, Reuters)