Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said his government is willing to hold serious talks with the United States, including on oil investment and cooperation against drug trafficking, signaling a conciliatory tone amid sustained pressure from Washington.
The remarks were made in a New Year’s interview broadcast on Venezuelan state television and published by a Mexican newspaper, as U.S. sanctions and military actions continue to weigh on the country’s economy and regional security environment.
Maduro said dialogue would require a practical approach grounded in verifiable facts, while reiterating long-standing accusations that U.S. policy aims to gain control of Venezuela’s natural resources.
Maduro said Venezuela is prepared to accept U.S. investment in its oil sector, citing existing arrangements involving Chevron as a model for future cooperation.
“If they want to speak seriously about an agreement to battle drug trafficking, we are ready,” he said in the interview.
He added that Venezuela is open to discussions “when, where and how they want,” extending the offer to include migration and security issues.
The comments echo previous statements in which Maduro expressed willingness to engage with U.S. President Donald Trump, despite an escalation of sanctions, military deployments, and maritime actions targeting alleged drug trafficking.
Maduro argued that these measures form part of a broader effort to undermine his government and seize control of oil, gold, and rare earth resources.
The interview followed U.S. statements confirming strikes on vessels and a docking area allegedly used for drug smuggling linked to Venezuela, though details of locations were not publicly disclosed.
Maduro declined to confirm reports of a strike on Venezuelan territory, saying the matter could be addressed in the coming days, while asserting that national defense forces had safeguarded territorial integrity.
He rejected U.S. accusations that Venezuela operates as a narco-state, maintaining that cocaine trafficking originates primarily in neighboring Colombia and that his government has an effective counter-narcotics model.
U.S. sanctions and recent tanker seizures have reduced Venezuela’s oil exports by roughly half, with Chevron continuing limited exports under a special license.
The decline in exports has reduced foreign currency inflows, contributed to inflation, and coincided with an 83 percent depreciation of the bolivar over 2025.
Venezuela’s defaulted international bonds remain deeply distressed, though prices have risen since Trump took office, reflecting investor expectations of political change.