Venezuelan officials reached out to the U.S. behind President Nicolas Maduro’s back solely to discuss his exit from power and free elections, National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Wednesday.
Mr. Bolton’s comment came after Mr. Maduro said he had authorised the contacts with high level U.S. officials, casting them as a long-standing initiative that he was aware of and had approved.
Countering in a tweet, Mr. Bolton said: “The only items discussed by those who are reaching out behind Maduro’s back are his departure and free and fair elections.”
He noted that U.S. President Donald Trump “has repeatedly stated, to end the pilfering of the Venezuelan people’s resources and continued repression, Mr. Maduro must go.”
Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House Tuesday that the US was in discussion with Venezuelan officials “at a very high level.” “We are in touch. We’re talking to various representatives of Venezuela,” he said.
