President Maduro Praises Phone Talks With President Trump

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru/IMploy

JAKARTA - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday confirmed that he had made a phone call with United States President Donald Trump.

Not only that, President Maduro said that the phone call, which took place about 10 days ago, was "respectful and friendly", using it as a potential opportunity for diplomacy.

"If this phone call shows the steps taken towards a dialogue that respects each other between our countries, then the dialogue is welcomed, diplomacy is welcomed," said President Maduro in a televised event.

As previously reported, President Trump on Sunday confirmed that he had made a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but declined to provide further details.

"I don't want to comment. The answer is yes (phone call)," President Trump told reporters at Air Force One when he returned to Washington DC from his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

"I can't do that," he said when asked to explain the phone conversation, adding:

"I wouldn't say it went well or badly," he said.

Earlier, The New York Times reported on Friday that the two leaders spoke by telephone last week and discussed a possible meeting, citing several sources familiar with the matter.

"We think Venezuela is not a very friendly country. They are sending millions of people, and many of them should not be in our country - (have backgrounds) from prisons, from gangs, from drug dealers," he said.

This confirmation comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Caracas, with President Trump recently declaring Venezuela's airspace to be "completely closed."

Venezuela condemned the statement and demanded unconditional respect for its airspace.

It also comes after months of expanding military operations across Latin America, deploying Marines, warships, fighter jets and bombers, submarines, and drones amid speculation Washington could launch attacks on Venezuela.

On Thursday, he announced the US would "immediately" take action against Venezuelan drug dealers on land, following 21 military attacks at sea since September that killed at least 83 people.