Maduro Says Trump Is Laying Groundwork for a 'Forever War,' Calls Drug Claims 'As False as Weapons of Mass Destruction'

Venezuela's authoritarian President, Nicolás Maduro, said president Donald Trump is laying the groundwork for a "forever war" against the country and accused the United States of fabricating drug-trafficking allegations that he compared to Washington's discredited claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The comments were made during a televised interview recorded on New Year's Eve with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet and filmed as Maduro drove through Caracas.

"Since they cannot accuse me, since they cannot accuse Venezuela of having weapons of mass destruction, since they cannot accuse us of having nuclear missiles, of preparing a nuclear weapon, or of possessing chemical weapons, they have invented an accusation that the United States knows is as false as the accusation about weapons of mass destruction that led them into a forever war," Maduro said during one portion of the hour-long interview.

In another part of the interview, Maduro said Venezuela was prepared to engage in talks with Washington, including on drug trafficking and energy investment. "If they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we're ready," he said. "If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it."

The interview comes amid reports that the U.S. had carried out a pre-Christmas strike on a docking facility on Venezuela's coast allegedly used by drug traffickers. Maduro, however, declined to confirm or deny the attack saying that "perhaps we'll discuss it in a few days" and defending Venezuela's defense systems:"our people are safe and at peace."

Trump acknowledged last week that the U.S. had struck a coastal facility in Venezuela but declined to say whether the operation was carried out by the military or the CIA. U.S. media reports have cited intelligence involvement, while other accounts said the site was unoccupied and no casualties were reported.

If confirmed, the strike would mark the first attack on Venezuelan territory since the Trump administration escalated military pressure in August.

Maduro said he last spoke with Trump in a brief, "cordial" phone call on Nov. 21, but described subsequent developments as deteriorating. He again called for "dialogue and diplomacy," warning that the current course risked drawing the United States into another prolonged conflict in the region.