Maduro writes directly to Trump calling for Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro wrote directly to Donald Trump this month to call for talks with the U.S. to defuse tensions.

In the letter dated Sept. 6, the socialist leader said that his government “has consistently sought direct communication to address and resolve any issue that arises between our two governments.”

“I respectfully invite you, President, to promote peace through constructive dialogue and mutual understanding throughout the hemisphere,” Maduro said, in a copy of the letter seen Sunday by Bloomberg.

Maduro spent much of the letter denying that his country is a major source of illegal drugs reaching the U.S., saying that most of Colombia’s cocaine production leaves through the Pacific.

The U.S. has escalated its campaign against Maduro’s government in recent weeks