Overview
- Maduro announced the proposal in a Thursday night broadcast, presenting negotiations as a path to de-escalation.
- He said the agenda would include joint action against drug trafficking, terms for exploiting Venezuela's oil resources, and agreements for economic development.
- The offer follows a U.S. campaign begun in September that destroyed dozens of suspected traffickers' boats, left dozens dead, seized two tankers, and in at least one instance hit Venezuelan territory.
- Washington has accused the Venezuelan government of working with criminal networks that move illegal drugs into the United States.
- No response from the United States was reported, and earlier Venezuelan overtures yielded no concrete progress, with Il Post noting analysis that narco claims can serve as a pretext for pressure on Maduro.