The U.S. government has reportedly offered amnesty to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in exchange for his resignation.
What Happened: The U.S. has made a proposal to Maduro to step down from his position in return for amnesty. This offer is part of a broader effort to persuade Maduro to leave office before his term ends in January, reported The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The U.S. is also considering providing guarantees to the regime figures to avoid extradition. This offer comes as the opposition in Venezuela has been gathering evidence to show that Maduro lost the election last month.
The U.S. has previously offered amnesty to Maduro during secret talks in Doha, Qatar, last year. However, Maduro declined to discuss any arrangements that would require him to leave office.
Maduro has expressed willingness to engage in talks if Washington shows respect, but at times, he urges the U.S. to stay out of Venezuela’s internal affairs. “Don't mess with Venezuela's internal affairs, that's all I ask for,” Maduro stated during a news conference on Friday.
Geoff Ramsey, a Venezuela expert at the Atlantic Council, noted that the President Joe Biden administration is emphasizing incentives, such as the potential lifting of indictments in exchange for transition talks, rather than punitive measures like sanctions. He also highlighted that Republicans might use this approach against the Democrats in the election year, which could be problematic if the U.S.’s efforts do not succeed.
A victory for Donald Trump could halt the talks if he reinstates his previous aggressive policies towards Maduro, which began in 2019 when his administration imposed oil sanctions and backed a rival Venezuelan government to challenge the regime, according to the report.
"We are considering a range of options to incentivize and pressure Maduro to recognize the election results and will continue to do so, but the responsibility is on Maduro and Venezuela's electoral authorities to come clean on the electoral results," the White House National Security Council spokeswoman said, according to the report.
Why It Matters: The U.S. offer of amnesty to Maduro comes amid a long-standing political crisis in Venezuela. The country has been facing economic turmoil and diplomatic isolation under Maduro’s 11-year authoritarian rule.
The U.S. has been closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressing serious concerns about the election results earlier in July. The opposition, led by candidate Edmundo González, has been disputing the results, claiming a significant victory.
Maduro’s regime has faced criticism and protests following the election, with the U.S. expressing concerns about the results. The U.S. has been considering a range of options to pressure Maduro to recognize the election results, including the possibility of lifting the indictments in exchange for transition talks.
Maduro recently enforced a 10-day ban on Elon Musk‘s social media platform X, formerly Twitter, amid escalating tensions over the election results. Adding to the turmoil, billionaire Musk has publicly challenged Maduro to a fight, further highlighting the international attention on Venezuela’s political crisis.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
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