Erdogan Urges Venezuela To Maintain Dialogue With Washington

ISLAMABAD: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, urging him to maintain open dialogue with Washington amid escalating fears of US military action. The call comes as the United States has increased pressure on Caracas, conducting over 20 strikes on boats allegedly involved in drug trafficking, resulting in at least 87 deaths. So far, Washington has provided no evidence linking the targeted boats to drug smuggling.

Erdogan emphasized the importance of keeping communication channels open between the US and Venezuela, expressing hope that tensions would ease. He added that Turkey is closely monitoring the situation and believes conflicts can be resolved through dialogue.

Venezuela’s foreign ministry stated that Erdogan expressed “deep concern” over the threats facing the country, particularly military deployments and actions disrupting peace and security in the Caribbean. Maduro described these threats as illegal, disproportionate, and unnecessary.

The leaders also discussed the suspension of international flights following former US President Donald Trump’s declaration last month to consider Venezuelan airspace “closed.” Maduro confirmed a prior “cordial” call with Trump, though details were not shared.

Earlier this week, Trump convened top national security officials to discuss Venezuela after months of tensions. Washington has accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel, a claim Venezuela denies. Last month, the US sent its largest aircraft carrier and a fleet of warships to the Caribbean.

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Turkey maintains strong ties with Venezuela, with Erdogan visiting in 2018 to support Maduro after international criticism of his re-election. Some reports suggest that if Maduro were removed from power, he could seek refuge in Turkey.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham jokingly commented that “Turkey and Iran are lovely this time of year,” referring to Maduro potentially fleeing the country.

This latest diplomatic engagement highlights Turkey’s role as a key ally of Venezuela while tensions with the US continue to rise in the region.