Donald Trump has strongly suggested that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s days as president could be numbered.
His comments come amid a military buildup in the Caribbean, with media reports suggesting that the US is preparing for a land strike in Venezuela. President Trump however has declined to say whether Washington is preparing new military action.
RT reports: Washington has accused Maduro of running “narcoterrorist” cartels that smuggle drugs into the US and has offered a bounty for his arrest. Earlier this year, Trump deployed major naval assets to the western Caribbean and carried out strikes in international waters against vessels accused of drug trafficking. Maduro has rejected the accusations, claiming the US president is “fabricating a new war.”
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In an interview with CBS’ ‘60 Minutes’ aired on Sunday, Trump was asked whether the buildup near Venezuela – described by the channel as “using a blowtorch to cook an egg” – was aimed at stopping narcotics or “getting rid of President Maduro.”
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“No, this is about many things. This is a country that allowed their prisons to be emptied into our country,” Trump said.
Pressed on whether “Maduro’s days as president are numbered,” he replied: “I would say yeah. I think so, yeah.”
The US president neither confirmed nor denied reports of a possible land strike. “I’m not saying it’s true or untrue,” he told the host. “I don’t talk to a reporter about whether or not I’m gonna strike… I’m not gonna tell you what I’m gonna do with Venezuela.”
Several outlets reported last week that the White House is considering operations inside the country and has identified potential targets, including drug-smuggling sites. The US has reportedly deployed about 10,000 soldiers, 6,000 sailors, and eight Navy warships to the region, while the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group is expected later this week. F-35 jets are also stationed in Puerto Rico.
Caracas has condemned the buildup as a violation of sovereignty and an attempted coup, while reportedly seeking support from Russia, China, and Iran. Russia, which ratified a new partnership with Venezuela last week, expressed “strong support for the Venezuelan leadership in defending national sovereignty.”
