Trump confirms he had phone call with Maduro amid heightened tensions

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he held a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro but declined to provide details about the conversation.

"I don't want to comment on it. The answer is yes," Trump told reporters on Sunday aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington, DC, from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he spent Thanksgiving.

"I can't do that," he said when asked to describe the call, adding: "I wouldn't say it went well or badly."

The New York Times reported Friday that the leaders spoke by phone last week and discussed a possible meeting, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.

"We consider Venezuela to be not a very friendly country. They sent millions of people, and a lot of those people shouldn't be in our country — from jails, from gangs, from drug dealers," he said.

Asked whether his recent warning about Venezuelan airspace meant an air strike is imminent, Trump responded: "Don't read anything into it."

Escalating tensions

The confirmation comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas, with Trump recently declaring that Venezuelan airspace would be "completely shut down."

In a letter to OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais and member countries, which Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil shared on Telegram, President Nicolas Maduro stated that his country will "remain firm" in defending its natural energy resources.

Maduro issued the letter after US President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that Venezuelan airspace would be "completely shut down," while Caracas demanded "unconditional respect".

The Venezuelan president said his country denounces the mechanism through which the US intends to take Venezuela's oil reserves by using "lethal military force" against its territory, people, and institutions.

Trump announced on Thursday the US will "very soon" take action against Venezuela on land, following 21 military attacks at sea on alleged drug traffickers that killed at least 83 people since September.

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Source: TRT