Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rejected US allegations of being a drug trafficker and asked President Donald Trump for dialogue, according to a letter released by Caracas, as tensions soar between the two countries.

The letter addressed to Trump is dated September 6 and was sent days after the United States deployed warships off the coast of Venezuela and carried out the first of several attacks on Venezuela-based boats alleged by Washington to be carrying drugs.

In the missive, Maduro rejected as “absolutely false” US allegations that he leads a drug cartel. “It is the worst fake news that has been launched against our country in an escalation in an armed conflict that would do catastrophic damage to the whole continent,” the letter states.

Maduro urged Trump to “keep the peace with dialogue and understanding in the entire hemisphere.” (AFP)