In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro shows his ballot after casting a vote for a constitutional assembly in Caracas, Venezuela on Sunday, July 30, 2017. Maduro asked for global acceptance on Sunday as he cast an unusual pre-dawn vote for an all-powerful constitutional assembly that his opponents fear he’ll use to replace Venezuelan democracy with a single-party authoritarian system. (Miraflores Press Office via AP)
August 12. 2017
OAN Newsroom
President Trump decides not to take a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The controversial South American leader had previously asked to meet with the president during a political event.
A White House statement said President Trump would only agree to speak with Maduro when democracy is restored in Venezuela.
This comes after President Trump delivered a strong message to the troubled socialist nation on Friday to give up the path of dictatorship.
“We have many options for Venezuela,” said President Trump. “And, by the way, I’m not going to rule out a military option. This is our neighbor. We are all over the world and we have troops all over the world in places that are very, very far away. Venezuela is not very far away and the people are suffering, and they are dying.”
Venezuela has been rocked by civil unrest in recent years after a crash in oil prices devastated the country’s economy
