VideoPresident Trump’s remarks on Friday that he would not rule out a “military option” to quell the chaos in Venezuela set off a late-night diplomatic duel, with the defense minister accusing Mr. Trump of “an act of madness” and the White House saying it had turned away a call from Venezuela’s president. “It is an act of supreme extremism,” Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said late Friday in Caracas, the capital. “As our minister of defense and a Venezuelan citizen,” he added, “I say it is an act of madness.”About an hour later, the White House issued a statement saying that Mr. Trump had refused to take a phone call on Friday from Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro. Advertisement Continue reading the main story“Today, Nicolas Maduro requested a phone call with President Donald J. Trump,” the White House said. “President Trump will gladly speak with the leader of Venezuela as soon as democracy is restored in that country.”

Source: New York Times August 12, 2017 04:07 UTC