The Chavista leader would demand amnesty for himself and his main collaborators, as well as conditions for a comfortable exile outside the country
The Department of Justice keeps a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest, while also offering additional bounties for several of his main collaborators. Still, Maduro seeks for those sanctions to be lifted and for guarantees to live without trouble outside Venezuela, presumably in a country allied with his regime, such as Cuba or Nicaragua.
After more than a decade in power, Nicolás Maduro's regime could be preparing its exit, although under terms that reveal its desperation to retain privileges and protection. According to a recent publication by The Atlantic, the Venezuelan dictator has expressed his willingness to negotiate an "orderly exit" from the country if the United States agrees to grant him and his closest circle amnesty, remove the bounties on his head, and facilitate a "quiet" exile abroad.
"If there's enough pressure, and if there's enough 'candy on the plate,' everything's on the table with Maduro", a source with ties in Caracas and Washington told The Atlantic, referring to the possibility of a deal that would end the Chavista leader's rule.
Since coming to power in 2013, Maduro has concentrated political, economic, and military control over Venezuela, plunging the country into one of the most severe humanitarian crises on the continent. In recent months, tension with the United States has intensified: Washington has deployed military assets near the Venezuelan coast and identified the president as head of the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a drug trafficking network linked to high-ranking Chavista officials.
However, the The Atlantic article warns that a possible transition faces obstacles within the Venezuelan military apparatus itself. The Armed Forces, which have been the central support of Chavismo, would not be willing to cede power to the democratic opposition led by María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize winner and main figure of resistance to the regime. "If Washington wants Maduro's exit, it must also guarantee that Machado won't take control of the country", the report states.
Meanwhile, sources cited by the U.S. outlet indicate that Secretary of State Marco Rubio considers toppling Maduro a priority, describing his government as "a drug trafficking organization that facilitates the arrival of migrants to the United States".
