by Rob Crilly at The Telegraph
Venezuelan president’s blanket amnesty demand for top officials is deal-breaker for Washington
Venezuela’s president asked to keep $200m of his private wealth, amnesty for his officials and safe harbour in a friendly country as part of a deal with Donald Trump to step down and flee, sources said.
Those familiar with a phone call between the two leaders told The Telegraph that the plan fell apart owing to Nicolas Maduro’s demands for a blanket amnesty for as many as 100 top officials.
During the 15-minute call, the two leaders also disagreed on how to set up a transitional government and on the location Mr Maduro would flee to from Venezuela.
Mr Trump suggested China or Russia, according to one source, while the Venezuelan president was intent on staying in the Western hemisphere, in a friendly country such as Cuba.
In the interim, Qatar has emerged as a possible compromise.