Trump shuts door on talks with Venezuela - What it means for Caracas
Photo: Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has suspended all diplomatic contacts with Venezuela, ordering a halt to any negotiations with the government of Nicolás Maduro, according to Reuters.
US President Donald Trump has ordered a complete halt to diplomatic efforts with Venezuela, effectively ending all communication with the government of Nicolás Maduro.
According to unnamed US administration officials cited by Reuters, the decision was made on October 6, 2025, when Trump instructed his special envoy Richard Grenell to suspend all remaining diplomatic contacts with Caracas.
The move marks a new phase of US-Venezuelan relations, which have remained tense since the 2019 diplomatic break between the two countries.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly accused the United States of trying to remove him from power, alleging that Washington seeks to install a "puppet regime" and take control of Venezuela’s oil, gas, and gold resources.
US–Venezuela relations
In August 2025, the United States offered a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, accusing him of ties to drug cartels and terrorist groups - allegations he has vehemently denied, claiming that only 5% of Colombia’s narcotics pass through Venezuela, 70% of which are intercepted by Venezuelan authorities.
A month later, Maduro accused Washington of "aggression on all fronts" - political, diplomatic, military, and judicial.
Despite the ongoing hostility, the two countries reached a prisoner-swap deal in December 2023, when Venezuela released a close Maduro ally in exchange for ten detained American citizens.
In August 2025, Maduro declared a state of general mobilization in response to what he described as a potential US military threat, signaling Venezuela’s readiness to resist any escalation.
