The Wall Street Journal reports the Trump administration is pushing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to resign and leave the country peacefully amid rising regional tension.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is facing “unprecedented” American military and diplomatic pressure to step down and depart Venezuela peacefully, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.
The WSJ cites senior U.S. officials who say the Trump administration has intensified efforts to force a political transition, combining escalating military posturing with high-level diplomatic outreach across Latin America.
The report comes as the U.S. expands Operation Southern Spear, carries out maritime strikes on alleged narco-terrorist networks, and deploys strategic aircraft — including B-52 bombers and F/A-18 fighters — near Venezuelan territory.
According to the Journal:
- U.S. officials have privately urged Maduro to accept safe passage out of the country
- Neighboring governments have been briefed on possible contingency scenarios
- Washington is leveraging economic sanctions, intelligence operations, and regional alliances to accelerate Maduro’s exit
The U.S. State Department has not publicly confirmed the reported negotiations.
Maduro has repeatedly rejected U.S. pressure, vowing to remain in power and accusing Washington of “imperialist aggression.” Venezuelan officials have called recent U.S. military movements “provocations.”
The situation has raised concerns of a potential military confrontation, especially as U.S. forces increase surveillance flights and naval activity in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific.
Regional diplomats told the WSJ they fear a “point of no return” if Maduro refuses to step aside.
