The negotiations have encountered obstacles due to Maduro's demands regarding amnesty for his team, which includes about 100 high-ranking officials. There has also been no common ground on the forms of a transitional government or where Maduro could go. Trump suggested China or Russia, while Maduro insisted on his desire to go to a country in the Western Hemisphere, such as Cuba; Qatar was considered as a compromise. Later, Maduro himself confirmed that this conversation took place "about ten days ago."
Sources report that a key obstacle in the negotiations was Maduro's demand for amnesty for his closest allies, which proved unacceptable to Washington. The U.S. insists on neutralizing the "Cartel of the Suns," a group of military and politicians controlling a significant portion of drug trafficking in Venezuela.
These negotiations occurred against the backdrop of increasing pressure from the U.S. on the Venezuelan government. American military forces are increasing their presence in the Caribbean region, and Trump stated this week about the possibility of strikes on Venezuelan territory. The maintenance of a large military group costs the U.S. tens of millions of dollars; for example, the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group costs over $6 million a day.
Washington considers Edmundo Gonzalez the legitimately elected president after the 2024 elections, which were deemed invalid. In August, the U.S. raised the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million.
Despite public statements of unwillingness to discuss regime change, media reports indicate that Trump offered Maduro a "soft exit" — amnesty for him and his family, as well as guaranteed exit from the country in exchange for his immediate resignation. In response to growing threats, Maduro has increased his security with Cuban bodyguards and, according to sources, changes his place of residence daily.
