Trump: Venezuelan President Maduro does not want to mess with the United States

(Patria) - President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro does not want to "mess......" with the United States, amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.

Trump's comments followed a Reuters report, citing three sources, that the U.S. military is holding two survivors on a Navy ship after a U.S. attack on their suspected Caribbean drug smuggling boat killed two other people.

The Thursday attack was the latest in a campaign Trump has declared against the "narco-terrorist" threat he says comes from Venezuela and is linked to Maduro.

In response to a reporter's question about a report that Maduro offered "everything," including the OPEC member's natural resources, to secure a deal with the U.S., Trump said:
"He offered everything. You're right. You know why? Because he doesn't want to mess with the United States."

Trump's statements, during a joint appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, came in the context of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, which includes guided-missile destroyers, F-35 jets, a nuclear submarine, and about 6,500 troops.

Venezuela's communications ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, but the Venezuelan government has mocked media reports about high-level negotiations to oust Maduro.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez posted a selfie with Maduro on Telegram on Thursday in response to what she called "liars."

On Wednesday, Trump revealed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, fueling speculation in Caracas that the United States is trying to oust Maduro.

Maduro has denied any link to drug smuggling and condemned U.S. attacks on ships as a pretext for regime change, portraying them as a violation of sovereignty and international law.

Trump, who unsuccessfully ran for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, also mentioned this year's winner, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The 58-year-old industrial engineer received the prestigious award last Friday.

"I didn't get the Nobel Prize. Someone who is a very nice woman, very nice, got it," Trump said.

"I don't know who she is, but she was very generous. So I don't care about all those things. I only care about saving lives."