Trump’s special operations agent Grenell said he spoke with Venezuelan officials via Reuters

Written by Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell said on Monday he had spoken with several officials in Venezuela and would begin meetings early on Tuesday, days after the administration Biden has imposed new sanctions on the government of President Nicolas Maduro. .

“Diplomacy is back,” Grenell said in a post on X revealing his first calls. “Talking is a trick.”

A source familiar with the matter said Grenell, who served as intelligence director at the end of Trump’s first term, planned to meet with Venezuelan opposition officials in Washington on Tuesday.

There was no immediate response from Venezuela’s communications ministry to a question about Trump’s announcement.

During his campaign, Trump called Maduro a “tyrant” after he pursued “high pressure” against him during his first term from 2017 to 2021, including imposing sanctions powerful in South America and the oil industry.

Former President Joe Biden briefly rolled back some of the Trump-era restrictions after election promises from Maduro but then reinstated them, saying the Venezuelan leader had reneged on promises of democratic elections.

Maduro and his government have long rejected the sanctions by the United States and others, saying they are illegal measures amounting to “economic warfare” aimed at crippling Venezuela. Maduro and his allies have cheered what they say is the country’s resilience despite the measures, though they have blamed economic problems and shortages on sanctions.

Grenell’s statement reflects Trump’s desire to focus on Venezuela at the start of his second term, a source told Reuters. Maduro said Trump’s re-election offers a “new beginning” for bilateral relations.

One of Trump’s main campaign promises was the deportation of undocumented immigrants, many of whom are from Venezuela. Repatriating them may require cooperation from the Venezuelan authorities.

In his announcement of Grenell’s nomination, Trump said he would work in hotspots around the world, including Venezuela and North Korea. Grenell has served as Trump’s ambassador to Germany, the president’s special envoy for peace talks in Serbia and Kosovo, and as acting director of national intelligence. during Trump’s 2017-2021 term.

Grenell has had past dealings with friends of Maduro.

Reuters reported that in 2020 Grenell met secretly with Maduro’s representative to try to broker a peaceful exit for the Venezuelan leader after his 2018 election was deemed a sham by many countries. West, but no agreement was reached.