VENEZUELAN president Nicolas Maduro could be executed by Cuban spies if he leaves the country.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has said he is ready to speak to the dictator personally – despite just designating him the head of a terror organisation.
It’s no secret that America wants Maduro out and a new regime installed, even if the administration insists their business in the Caribbean – dubbed “Operation Southern Spear” – is strictly anti-drugs.
Officials realise that one of the key hurdles to Maduro’s exit could be the power and threat Cuba holds over him, according to Axios.
He has a mutual understanding with Cuba’s dictatorship, which helped push him into power in 2013 and continues to keep him there.
The Communist island government sends valuable doctors and military advisers into Venezuela’s crumbling society.
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Maduro returns the favour by supplying cut-price oil to Cuba from his deep reserves, and cash at times of need.
There is a very real possibility that Maduro would therefore be eliminated if he were to yield to Trump and quit.
It was also reported by Axios on Monday that Trump told his advisors he is planning to speak directly to Maduro.
This could be a sign that the anticipated US attacks on Venezuelan military targets are not in fact imminent, sources told the outlet.
One said: “Nobody is planning to go in and shoot him or snatch him — at this point. I wouldn’t say never, but that’s not the plan right now.
“In the meantime, we’re going to blow up boats shipping drugs. We’re going to stop the drug trafficking.”
At least 83 people have been killed in 21 separate missile strikes on boats, which America says were loaded with drugs bound for the US.
The timing of Trump’s decision to engage directly is surprising, given America has just officially designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles – which it says is led by Maduro – as a foreign terror organisation.
The move allows the US to lay further sanctions – which some interpret as laying the groundwork for future military action.
Venezuela’s government slammed the plan as ridiculous, and insisted the group was “non-existent”.
The allocation of the terror label was earned by the group’s role in importing drugs into the US, Marco Rubio said.
Over the weekend, it was reported that the US was poised to launch strikes more directly against Venezuela, following a stark airspace warning and a daring nuclear bomber “demo”.
Several major airlines cancelled flights heading to Venezuela in response to the flight alert.
White House sources spread that Trump was ready to launch a new phase in the coming days, and that covert operations would likely be the first port of call.
Another White House official said Trump was “not ruling anything out”.
The source told Reuters: “President Trump is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice.”
Aware that he would be flicked aside by any concerted US military effort, Maduro has been desperately vying to cool tensions in unorthodox fashion.
He recently performed a bizarre rendition of John Lennon’s famous peace song “Imagine”.
And over the weekend, he took to busting out Trump-inspired moves at a rally.
Maduro pumped his fists and rocked his hips in undeniable Trumpian style, in an apparent bid to bring him onside.
Former Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz posted a clip of the dance on X, alongside the caption: “In a surprising move, Maduro is now doing the Trump dance.”
Lyrics blaring underneath sang: “No crazy, no crazy war no, no, no, no.”
Maduro and his government have always denied any involvement in crime and have accused the US of wanting regime change, in order to get access to Venezuela’s natural resources.
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Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez recently said: “They want Venezuela’s oil and gas reserves. For nothing, without paying.
They want Venezuela’s gold. They want Venezuela’s diamonds, iron, bauxite. They want Venezuela’s natural resources.”