Richard Grenell, Presitend Trump's Special Envoy for Special Missions, said Tuesday at the CPAC conference in Paraguay that a diplomatic resolution with Venezuela is still possible, even amid increased tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Grenell who has met face-to-face with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brokered a deal that freed six U.S. citizens from the country back in Februrary, told the crowd at the event that:
"You will always hear me as someone who advocates for dialogue. I have gone to see Nicolás Maduro. I have sat in front of him. I have expressed the 'America First' position. I understand what he wants. I believe we can still reach an agreement. I believe in diplomacy. I believe in avoiding war"
Grenell's remarks, reported by CNN, follow the deployment of U.S. naval assets in the southern Caribbean, which Washington describes as part of counter-narcotics operations. Earlier this week, Trump announced an attack on a Venezuelan vessel for allegedly transporting illegal drugs, the second strike of its kind during the month of September. The impact reportedly killed three people. Venezuela has rejected claims regarding narcotrafficking allegations and calls U.S. military maneuvers a threat to its sovereignty.
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, Grenell explained on Tuesday, illustrating that every president faces "two voices": the Pentagon, which he described as "ready for war," and the State Department, which he said advocates for "government maneuvers" such as sanctions, isolation, or tariffs.
Grenell visited Caracas in late January to negotiate the release of U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela, a mission he described as part of his diplomatic work. On that occasion, six Americans were released after his meetings with Maduro.
Maduro has publicly characterized U.S. actions—military deployments, strikes on alleged drug boats, and pressure over narcotrafficking—as aggression, accusing Washington of threatening regime change. On Tuesday he claimed that the U.S. had "destroyed what little dialogue existed with threats of bombs, death and blackmail" and that his country's relationship with the United States is "completely broken."
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