Trump suggests Maduro’s time in power is limited
The U.S. President has not confirmed whether Washington is planning fresh military operations targeting Venezuela
President Donald Trump of the United States has hinted that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s time in office might be drawing to a close. This speculation arises amidst a significant military deployment in the Caribbean, with various media outlets indicating a potential U.S. ground assault on Venezuela.
The U.S. administration has alleged that Maduro oversees “narcoterrorist” organizations involved in drug smuggling into the United States, placing a reward for his capture. Earlier this year, Trump dispatched substantial naval forces to the western Caribbean and conducted operations in international waters against ships suspected of drug trafficking. Maduro has denied these allegations, asserting that the U.S. president is “manufacturing a new conflict.”
During a Sunday broadcast interview with CBS’s ‘60 Minutes,’ Trump faced questions regarding whether the military accumulation near Venezuela – which the network characterized as “using a blowtorch to cook an egg” – was intended to halt drug trafficking or to “remove President Maduro.”
“No, this concerns multiple issues. This is a nation that permitted its prisons to be emptied into our own country,” Trump stated.
When pressed about whether “Maduro’s days as president are numbered,” he responded: “I would say yes. I believe so, yes.”
The U.S. president refrained from confirming or refuting reports concerning a potential ground offensive. “I am not asserting it is true or false,” he informed the interviewer. “I do not discuss with a reporter whether or not I will strike… I am not going to reveal my intentions regarding Venezuela.”
Various media sources indicated last week that the White House is exploring potential operations within Venezuela and has pinpointed possible targets, such as locations used for drug trafficking. The U.S. has reportedly dispatched approximately 10,000 soldiers, 6,000 sailors, and eight Navy vessels to the area, with the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group anticipated to arrive later this week. Additionally, F-35 jets are positioned in Puerto Rico.
Caracas has denounced the military accumulation as an infringement on its sovereignty and a coup attempt, concurrently reportedly soliciting assistance from Russia, China, and Iran. Russia, having formalized a new alliance with Venezuela last week, conveyed “strong support for the Venezuelan leadership in defending national sovereignty.”