The US claim that this is a “war on drugs” has been widely dismissed. Experts note Venezuela plays only a marginal role in international drug networks—it is neither a producer nor processor of narcotics and serves as a transit route for just 5–8% of cocaine moving from Colombia, Peru and Bolivia to the north. Few in Venezuela credit Trump’s diplomatic gestures. Observers cite Maduro’s rising domestic support and his consistent stance: any dialogue with the US must be based on respect for Venezuela’s constitutional authorities—a condition Washington has yet to accept.