Maduro Reportedly Offered Trump Preferential Access To Venezuela's Oil, Gold To Defuse Tensions; He Refused

Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro reportedly offered Donald Trump preferential access to the country's natural resources including oil, gold and other minerals in exchange for defusing tensions in the Caribbean. However, he refused, ending all diplomatic outreach to the South American country the New York Times reported.

The outlet noted that the offer involved an offer to open up all existing and future oil and gold projects to American companies and give them preferential contracts. It also proposed to reverse the flow of oil exports from China to the U.S. and slash energy and mining contracts with companies from China, Iran and Russia.

The offer remained on the table even as the U.S. began amassing troops in the Caribbean and officials called the regime "illegitimate" and a "fugitive from American justice." However, it ended after the country ended the diplomatic outreach.

In the meantime, the U.S. keeps beefing up its presence in the region: there are now 10,000 troops deployed in the region. They are in Puerto Rico and aboard eight surface warships and a submarine.

Forces have been conducting drills and the U.S. has struck at least four vessels officials claim were carrying drugs that were ultimately set to reach the U.S.

In this context, Venezuela's authoritarian government activated its "Independence Plan 200," a series of drills aimed at protecting strategic assets. "Venezuela is mobilizing in an organized manner," said Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

He went on to say that Venezuelans are "peaceful" but warned that they have been "actively" preparing "in all fronts to resist, for as long as needed, from the attacks that want to be conducted on the country."

Authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, on his end, said the drill involves "27 tasks to accomplish and ensure the protection of La Guaira and Carabobo's Integral Defense Zone."

However, the report added, those seeking to deescalate still believe there is a chance, considering that Trump has changed course in his assessment of other conflicts, including the war in Ukraine. Maduro claimed this week that "if the gringos attack, we will respond," but remains open to negotiations.

Qatar is seeking to mediate between the country and maintain open channels of communication, but while Venezuela is embracing the possibility, Trump administration officials have largely dismissed the initiative from the Gulf nation, favoring military pressure.