According to the sources, Trump told Maduro last week that "if he did not leave power willingly," the US would consider various options against Venezuela, including the use of force. The publication claims that the two leaders also discussed a possible amnesty for Maduro and his inner circle, TASS reported.
During Trump's first term, in March 2020, the United States indicted Maduro and several other government officials for narco-terrorism and offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the Venezuelan president. In early August of this year, Washington increased the reward to $50 million for information leading to Maduro's capture. According to the US Department of Justice, the Venezuelan leader "is one of the world's largest drug traffickers" and allegedly "poses a threat to the national security" of the United States.
American media repeatedly reported that the United States may soon begin strikes on Venezuelan territory. On Thursday, Trump stated that Washington would very soon begin combating "drug trafficking" on the ground from Venezuela, but did not provide details about possible military operations. On Saturday, he called for the airspace over and around Venezuela to be considered completely closed.