The Home Minister called it a lie
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello denied information about ongoing negotiations on political changes in the country, EFE reported. He called the report that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed to the US side a lie that he was ready to give up power after two years.
Earlier this week The New York Times reportedthat Venezuelan officials have conveyed to Americans that Maduro may be ready to step down after a transition period of two to three years. But the White House responded to this by saying that any delay in Maduro's transfer of power is unacceptable to the US administration.
The NYT also reported that Trump approved a document prepared by the CIA suggesting covert operations in Venezuela could be aimed at “preparing the battlefield for further actions.” It's unclear from the publication exactly what these covert operations might be and when they might be carried out.
NYT writes: The president has not yet decided on a broader course of action regarding Venezuela and has not publicly stated his ultimate goal beyond stopping the flow of drugs out of the region. According to her, military planners and the CIA have prepared a number of options for many different unexpected situations.
Previously, it was reported that an aircraft carrier strike group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, which diverted from the Mediterranean Sea to Latin America, entered the area of responsibility of the US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) on November 11. This group includes all of Latin America with the surrounding waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, including the Caribbean Sea. The carrier group also includes three guided missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier carries 48 F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jets.
