Caracas [Venezuela], December 1 (ANI): Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made a public appearance on Sunday after several days out of sight, ending growing speculation that he may have fled the country amid rising tensions with the United States, CNN reported.
Maduro’s reappearance came just moments after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he had spoken with the Venezuelan leader by phone. The Venezuelan president, who typically appears on state television several times a week, had not been seen since November 26, when he posted a brief video of himself driving through Caracas on Telegram, sparking widespread rumors about his whereabouts.
The president appeared at an annual specialty coffee awards ceremony in eastern Caracas. Broadcast images showed Maduro seated before an audience, handing out medals to coffee producers and sampling their top brews. Although he addressed the crowd, he made no direct reference to the ongoing political crisis. As the event concluded, he led a chant declaring Venezuela “indestructible, untouchable, unbeatable,” a remark interpreted as a subtle response to recent U.S. military activities, according to CNN.
Washington has deployed more than a dozen warships and approximately 15,000 troops to the region, citing the mission as targeting drug trafficking. Caracas, however, views it as a direct attempt to pressure Maduro out of power.
Following the phone call, Trump told reporters, “I don’t want to comment on that—the answer is yes.” He added that he would not characterize the call as positive or negative. “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly. It was a phone call,” he said. Reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal suggest the two leaders spoke earlier this month. Neither Maduro nor senior Venezuelan officials have commented on the call.
Jorge Rodriguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, declined to comment during a Sunday press conference, stating that the briefing was intended to announce a new investigation into recent U.S. maritime strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, which reportedly killed more than 80 people.
Tensions have escalated sharply in recent days. Trump has warned that U.S. strikes on land-based drug trafficking networks could occur “very soon” and issued a stern advisory urging airlines, pilots, and criminal groups to avoid Venezuelan airspace. Speaking again aboard Air Force One, Trump clarified that the warning did not indicate an imminent airstrike. “Don’t read anything into it,” he said, explaining that the advisory was issued because Washington considers Venezuela “not a very friendly country.”
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