Maduro offers to help Trump hunt dreaded Venezuelan gang leaders

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro offered to help Donald Trump’s administration to look up leaders of the Tren de Aragua drug cartel after the US deployed the military to carry out anti-Narcotic strikes in the Caribbean. The offer was part of Maduro’s attempt to start talks with Washington again, blowing up troops and warships near Venezuelan waters mass and boats wearing alleged criminals, according to people who are familiar with the case, who asked not to be identified without permission to speak in public. Maduro said he could help detect the most popular bosses of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that works in different countries across the Americas and who became a priority for Trump, people said. Earlier this month, the Venezuelan leader made the proposal to American envoy Ric Grenell, along with a letter to President Donald Trump requesting direct dialogue to facilitate tension, people said. In the letter, Maduro denied that Venezuela is an important source of illegal drugs for the US. “I invite you, president, with respect to promote peace through constructive dialogue and mutual understanding throughout the hemisphere,” Maduro said in a copy of the letter seen by Bloomberg. Venezuela’s information ministry and Grenell did not respond to requests for comment. Grenell told CBS News this week he stays in contact with Maduro’s team, without expanding. “The Maduro regime is not the legal government of Venezuela, it is a Narco terror cartel, and Maduro is not a legitimate president,” White House official said in a statement, following a comment. “The administration policy is” maximum pressure “on the Maduro regime, and no negotiations that could possibly benefit the regime.” Tren de Aragua expanded from Venezuela as far as Canada and Chile, and is involved in extortion, human, weapons and drug trafficking, prostitution, illegal mining, robbery and kidnapping. Some senior leaders are thought outside Venezuela. The Constitution of Venezuela prohibits the extradition of its own citizens, which can limit Maduro’s options. The brother of Héctor “Niño” Guerrero, the chief leader of the gang, was arrested in Spain last year. Trump targeted Venezolese in the US, who allegedly are members of Tren de Aragua, arrested hundreds and sent them in March to be jailed in El Salvador. Military strikes at least 14 people have died over the past few weeks in US strikes on vessels that said they smuggled drugs from Venezuela. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump did not describe Maduro as a head of state, but as a cartel boss, although Washington offered mixed signals or wanted the regime change. Despite the sabel rattle, Maduro promised to keep allowing deportation flights from the US to Caracas, with more than 13,000 citizens since January, when Grenell helped start the program again. Chevron Corp also still has a license to pump and export Venezuelan oil. © 2025 Bloomberg MP This article was generated from an automatic news agency feed without edits to text.