Maduro says Venezuela open to talks with Washington

CARACAS

President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 1 dodged a question about an alleged U.S. attack on a dock in Venezuela but said he was open to cooperation with Washington after weeks of American military pressure.

"Wherever they want and whenever they want," Maduro said of the idea of dialogue with the United States on drug trafficking, oil and migration in an interview on state TV.

To date, Maduro has not confirmed a U.S. land attack on a docking facility in his country that allegedly targeted drug boats, according to U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on Dec. 29. 

Asked point-blank if he confirmed or denied the attack, Maduro said "this could be something we talk about in a few days."

The attack would amount to the first known land strike of the U.S. military campaign against drug trafficking from Latin America.

Trump said the U.S. hit and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuela drug boats.

Trump would not say if it was a military or CIA operation or where the strike occurred, noting only that it was "along the shore."

For weeks Trump has threatened ground strikes on drug cartels in the region, saying they would start "soon," but this is the first apparent example.

US forces have also carried out numerous strikes on boats in both the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, targeting what Washington says are drug-smugglers.

The administration has provided no evidence that the targeted boats were involved in drug trafficking, however, prompting debate about the legality of these operations.

International law experts and rights groups say the strikes likely amount to extrajudicial killings, a charge that Washington denies.