Graham Says Maduro Was Offered Exile in Türkiye Before Arrest, but Rejected Deal

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has claimed that Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro was offered a chance to leave power and go into exile in Türkiye before being captured and flown to New York, suggesting that back-channel negotiations took place ahead of Washington’s dramatic operation.

“Maduro could be in Türkiye today, but he’s in New York,” Graham said, adding that U.S. officials had “given him a way out” that he chose to reject. “You better take the offer,” the senator warned, saying Maduro had “nobody to blame but himself.”

Senator Graham:

Maduro could be in Türkiye today, but he’s in New York.

You better take the offer.

Maduro has nobody to blame but himself. We gave him a way out.

He chose to defy Trump and U.S. military, and his ass is in jail. pic.twitter.com/I6hfVJw2lY

— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 5, 2026

The remarks have intensified debate over whether the United States pursued a last-minute diplomatic exit for Maduro before opting for direct action.

Was There an Exile Deal on the Table?

According to Graham’s statement and accounts from officials familiar with the matter, Maduro was presented with an option to step down peacefully and leave Venezuela, avoiding arrest and prosecution. Türkiye reportedly emerged as a potential destination, seen as a country with which Caracas maintained working relations and where Maduro might have found temporary refuge.

While neither Washington nor Ankara has publicly confirmed a formal agreement, Graham’s comments strongly suggest that an informal or conditional offer was conveyed to Maduro in the final stages before the operation.

Did Negotiations Take Place?

Multiple signals indicate that quiet contacts and exploratory talks were underway:

• Exit and transition: The core proposal reportedly centered on Maduro relinquishing power and leaving the country, allowing for a managed political transition in Caracas.
• Economic and oil-related assurances: There are indications that Maduro sought guarantees linked to Venezuela’s oil sector and sanctions relief, proposals U.S. officials reportedly viewed as insufficient.
• Security and prosecution: The option on offer appears to have been framed as a final opportunity to avoid immediate arrest rather than a full legal amnesty.

Ultimately, U.S. officials say Maduro defied President Donald Trump’s ultimatum, prompting the decision to proceed with the capture.

Türkiye’s Role: Mediator or Destination?

It remains unclear whether Türkiye actively participated as a mediator or was simply identified as a possible destination for exile. Ankara has maintained diplomatic ties with Caracas in recent years and has previously positioned itself as open to dialogue in regional crises.

Turkish officials have so far avoided detailed public comment, calling instead for stability and restraint, leaving open questions about how far Ankara was willing to go in facilitating any arrangement.

Why Graham’s Statement Matters

Graham’s blunt language appears intended not only to justify the operation against Maduro, but also to send a signal to other leaders under U.S. pressure: accept a negotiated exit when offered, or risk arrest.

“Maduro chose to defy Trump and the U.S. military,” Graham said. “Now he’s in jail.”

Analysis

If confirmed, the alleged Türkiye exit offer would indicate that Washington exhausted a final diplomatic option before resorting to force. It also sets a potential precedent: future U.S. interventions could be paired with last-minute exile offers as a way to reduce resistance—followed by swift action if rejected.

For Türkiye, the episode may raise questions about its emerging role as a possible refuge or diplomatic channel in high-stakes international crises. For global politics more broadly, it underscores how exile deals, once common during the Cold War, may be re-entering modern power politics.