Cuba Quietly Signals Openness to Post-Maduro Venezuela as U.S. Pressure Intensifies

U.S. pressure on Venezuela has triggered discreet outreach from figures inside the Cuban government, according to two sources familiar with the sensitive communications. The individuals, who requested anonymity, said that “elements within the Cuban regime” recently contacted U.S. officials to discuss what the region might look like without Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in power. They declined to identify who initiated the contact or provide further details but confirmed that conversations have taken place.

The revelation comes despite Cuba’s public condemnation of Washington’s posture toward Venezuela. On November 25, Havana issued a forceful statement accusing the United States of pursuing a violent overthrow of Maduro’s government. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez warned that growing U.S. military activity in the region—including the deployment of the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group, additional warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 fighter jets—represented an “exaggerated and aggressive” threat. He argued that removing Maduro by force would violate international law and the U.N. Charter, calling such action “dangerous and irresponsible.”

Meanwhile, Reuters previously reported that Maduro held a confidential call with President Donald Trump, during which the Venezuelan leader allegedly expressed willingness to step down if granted full legal amnesty. According to sources, Maduro sought guarantees such as the lifting of U.S. sanctions and the dismissal of a high-profile case before the International Criminal Court.

This conversation occurred against a backdrop of mounting U.S. pressure, which has included targeting alleged drug-smuggling operations, labeling the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, and repeatedly signaling possible military action. As geopolitical tensions escalate, both the quiet overtures from Cuban officials and Maduro’s reported conditions for departure highlight growing uncertainty over Venezuela’s political future and the shifting dynamics shaping Latin America’s stability.