In recent months, United States President Donald Trump has sharply escalated his attacks on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of fuelling drug trafficking and driving mass migration from the Caribbean nation into the US.

More recently, Trump has piled increased pressure on Venezuela with a military buildup in the Caribbean Sea, in what he calls an anti-drug trafficking campaign. Caracas says that US actions are instead aimed at toppling Maduro’s government.

Trump met his national security team on Monday to discuss “ next steps ” on Venezuela, according to media reports. Washington’s continued deployment of military assets to the region has sparked concerns of a possible war.

Last weekend, Maduro told a crowd outside the presidential Miraflores Palace that he want

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