The White House dismissed a request by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for talks with counterpart Donald Trump to de-escalate tensions between the two arch-foes.

The brush-off came as two Venezuelan opposition leaders backed a US naval build-up near the South American country, calling it critical for the restoration of democracy. Trump has dispatched eight warships and a submarine to the southern Caribbean in an anti-drug operation Venezuela fears could be the preamble to an invasion.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Maduro’s letter contained “a lot of lies.” She added the Trump administration’s position on Venezuela “has not changed” and it viewed the regime as “illegitimate.” (AFP)