Maduro ready to negotiate with U.S. to ‘combat drug trafficking’
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
Maduro’s latest offer is being framed as a pragmatic opening, as if a few cooperative sound bites on state TV can erase years of bad faith. Much of the mainstream coverage treats “negotiation” as a virtue in itself, without asking what Caracas gains from the photo-op and what Washington risks by playing along. Conservatives should be clear-eyed: a regime accused of turning institutions into protection rackets does not become a partner because it uses the right vocabulary.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
In an interview with Venezuelan state TV, President Nicolás Maduro said he is open to negotiation with the U.S. to combat drug trafficking. In recent months, the Trump administration has been targeting alleged drug boats near Venezuela, claiming they are bringing drugs into the U.S.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
Maduro’s latest offer is being framed as a pragmatic opening, as if a few cooperative sound bites on state TV can erase years of bad faith. Much of the mainstream coverage treats “negotiation” as a virtue in itself, without asking what Caracas gains from the photo-op and what Washington risks by playing along.
Conservatives should be clear-eyed: a regime accused of turning institutions into protection rackets does not become a partner because it uses the right vocabulary. Any talks must start with verification, not trust, and with consequences for noncompliance that are real, not symbolic.
Drug interdiction is not diplomacy-as-therapy. It is national security, rule of law, and public trust in enforcement. If Maduro wants cooperation, he can prove it with arrests, access, and transparency. The principle is simple: credibility is earned, not announced.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.