Washington Post reveals Vatican’s secret talks with US to secure Russian asylum for Maduro

The Washington Post has reported that Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s highest-ranking official after Pope Leo, conducted secret negotiations with the US administration to secure permission for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to seek asylum in Russia.

According to the report, the Vatican sought to persuade the Washington administration to “exercise patience” in late December.

A source familiar with the matter provided the newspaper with details regarding the proposal made to Maduro during the negotiations.

“Maduro was offered the chance to leave office and enjoy his money. It was stated that Putin would guarantee his security as part of this proposal,” the source said.

Effort to prevent bloodshed

The report states that Cardinal Parolin summoned Brian Burch, the US Ambassador to the Holy See, under an “urgent” code on Christmas Eve, demanding detailed information regarding Washington’s plans for Venezuela.

Citing government documents, the report indicates that the Italian prelate desperately attempted to reach US Secretary of State Marco Rubio “to prevent bloodshed and instability in Venezuela.”

During the meeting with Ambassador Burch, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, Parolin reportedly conveyed that Moscow was prepared to grant Maduro asylum.

According to the report, the Cardinal “begged the Americans to show patience” until the Venezuelan politician accepted the offer.

The Vatican expressed disappointment over the leaking of sections of a sensitive meeting held during the Christmas period, stating that the leaks did not fully reflect the context.

A spokesperson for Ambassador Burch referred questions to the State Department, which declined to comment.

The report also emphasized that Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov left the newspaper’s questions unanswered.

“Golden exile” option in Türkiye

Providing background information on the process, the report recalled that different routes had previously been on the agenda to persuade Maduro.

The New York Times had reported in recent weeks that the US offered Nicolas Maduro a deal to voluntarily resign and live a “gold-plated exile” life in Türkiye.

However, according to the newspaper’s source, “Maduro angrily rejected this plan.”

Politico magazine had pointed to Russia, Azerbaijan, and Cuba as other possible destinations for Maduro.

Later, The Telegraph reported that while the US suggested Maduro take asylum in China or Russia, the Venezuelan leader preferred a country within the Western Hemisphere, such as Cuba.

In another report published by The New York Times in mid-November, it was stated that Maduro requested a transition period of 2-3 years to leave office, but the White House rejected this delay, demanding his immediate resignation.

Following the failure of diplomatic efforts, the process concluded with military intervention. On the night of January 3, as part of an operation dubbed “Absolute Resolve,” missile strikes were carried out against strategic targets in the capital, Caracas, and other regions.

As a result of the operation, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured, removed from Venezuela, and transported to the US. It was announced that the couple would face trial in the US on charges of “narco-terrorism,” weapons possession, and drug trafficking.