President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with Nicolás Maduro last week, the New York Times revealed on Friday. According to the newspaper, the contact was confirmed by sources familiar with the exchange, although its content remains confidential.

According to the Times, both sides mentioned the possibility of an eventual face-to-face meeting, even on US soil. However, the publication states that, for now, there are no concrete plans for such a meeting to take place.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also participated in the call, which reportedly took place days before the designation of the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ as a terrorist organization.

The revelation of the call comes amid increasing pressure from Washington on Caracas. In recent days, the United States has intensified its overflights of military aircraft just a few kilometers from the Venezuelan coast. Just this week, a B-52 bomber and four F-18 fighter jets flew very close to Caracas.

In addition, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration recommended taking extra precautions in Venezuelan airspace due to the"worsening security situation," which forced the cancellation of dozens of flights to and from Venezuela.