Maduro lashes out at Washington’s 'slave’s peace' as Trump meets security chiefs on Venezuela
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Maduro lashes out at Washington’s 'slave’s peace' as Trump meets security chiefs on Venezuela")
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, and US President Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP)
Maduro says Venezuela will not accept what he calls a slave’s peace as he accuses the US of 22 weeks of pressure, strikes and psychological warfare.
Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro told a packed rally in Caracas on Monday (Dec 1) that his country will not accept "a slave's peace," as the United States steps up its military pressure in the region. He accused Washington of "testing" Venezuela for 22 weeks through a major naval build-up in the Caribbean, airspace warnings, and a series of lethal strikes on boats the US claims were ferrying drugs. At least 83 people have been killed in those operations since September. Rights groups say the strikes are illegal and that the US has not provided proof that the targets were traffickers.
US' psychological terrorism
"We want peace, but peace with sovereignty, equality, freedom! We do not want a slave's peace, nor the peace of colonies!" Maduro said at a rally in Caracas. He claimed the US wants regime change and said Venezuela has increased military readiness in response.
Maduro said that his nation has "endured 22 weeks of aggression" that can only be described as "psychological terrorism," a time during which "they have tested us," but that "the people of Venezuela have demonstrated their love for the homeland".
Trump summons national security team to discuss Venezuela
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Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has called his national security team to the Oval Office to discuss Venezuela. The White House confirmed the meeting but refused to say whether Trump was close to a decision on further action.
Also read | Trump signals new push to choke off drug flow, says land crackdowns against Venezuela are coming 'very soon'
"I will confirm that the president will be meeting with his national security team on this subject and on many matters," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told AFP at a briefing. However, she insisted she was "definitely not going to detail the specifics of the meeting."
Leavitt also refused to rule out the possibility of US troops on the ground in Venezuela, saying that the options were at Trump's disposal and that she'll "let him speak on those".
