The White House on Monday dismissed a request by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for talks with counterpart Donald Trump to de-escalate tensions between the two arch-foes.

The brush-off came as two Venezuelan opposition leaders backed a US naval build-up near the South American country, calling it critical for the restoration of democracy.

Trump has dispatched eight warships and a submarine to the southern Caribbean in an anti-drug operation Venezuela fears could be the preamble to an invasion.

US forces have destroyed at least three suspected Venezuelan drug boats in recent weeks, killing over a dozen people.

On Sunday, the Venezuelan government released a letter that leftist Maduro had sent to Trump.

In the missive, Maduro — whose July 2024 reelection was rejected as fraudulent

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