Trump admin officials reportedly met secretly with Venezuelan military leaders who were plotting a coup

• Officials from President Donald Trump's administration reportedly met secretly with Venezuelan military officials to discuss plans to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro.
• Officials did not ultimately go through with the coup, but the meetings could damage the already-tense US relations with Venezuela, according to The New York Times. 
• Amid an economic tailspin and widespread unrest, Maduro has sought to centralize power and eliminate political opposition.
• Trump has previously suggested military intervention against Maduro, and described declining conditions in Venezuela as an administration priority. 

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Trump administration officials reportedly met secretly with Venezuelan military officials over the last year to discuss plans to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro. 

The New York Times reported that the talks were the latest developments in the US government's backchannel work in Latin America that could damage foreign relations — even though officials did not ultimately go through with the coup. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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