Trump Admin Reportedly Rejects Venezuelan Regime Offer To Oust Maduro And Lead a Transition: 'Cartel Lite Not a Viable Option'

The Trump administration has reportedly rejected an offer by the Venezuelan regime to oust President Nicolas Maduro and undergo a transition.

"The 'Cartel Lite' was not a viable option," a source told the Miami Herald, noting that top officials would remain in power after the ouster of Maduro.

Maduro himself approved two of the offers, made to the U.S. through Qatar. They were extended through Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and her brother Jorge, who leads the regime-friendly National Assembly, according to the outlet, which cited people with direct knowledge of the talks.

Concretely, the proposals would have Delcy Rodriguez be the continuity figure and retired general Miguel Rodriguez Torres, who is currently in exile, lead a transitional government.

The argument was that neither of the Rodriguez siblings have been indicted on drug-trafficking charges in the U.S. However, former regime officials claimed that they are implicated in logistical support and money laundering operations. These accounts have been used by U.S. prosecutors in cases linked to the Cartel de los Soles, which the U.S. accuses Maduro of leading.

The proposals were presented to the White House and the State Department by U.S. Special Envoy Richard Grenell, who has been calling for engagement with the regime to de-escalate tensions.

However, the outlet claimed that the Trump administration dismissed the offers, concluding they sought to preserve the regime's criminal structure by laundering its image.

The Trump administration then rejected any negotiation involving regime officials sanctioned by the U.S. or tied to the regime in any other way.

The rejection is visible in Trump's recent actions. He recently authorized the CIA to conduct lethal covert operations in the country, with The New York Times detailing on Wednesday that the operations would extend elsewhere in the Caribbean, and the agency could take action against Maduro or other officers, either unilaterally or as part of a larger military operation.

Officials told the outlet that the ultimate goal of the escalation is removing Maduro from power.

U.S. forces in the Caribbean have also targeted alleged drug boats, with the latest strike taking place on Tuesday. Overall, 27 people have been killed in the attacks.