Donald Trump has played down the possibility of a US war with Venezuela, but suggested Nicolás Maduro's days as the country's president were numbered. Asked if the US was going to war against Venezuela, the US president told CBS' 60 Minutes: I doubt it. I don't think so. But they've been treating us very badly. For two months, the US military has been building up a force of warships, fighter jets, bombers, marines, drones and spy planes in the Caribbean Sea. It is the largest deployment there for decades.
The US continues to launch strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. The Trump administration says the strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the US. Trump rejected suggestions that the US action was not about stopping narcotics, but aimed at ousting Maduro, explaining it was about many things.
At least 64 people have been killed by US strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump stated: Every single boat that you see that's shot down kills 25,000 on drugs and destroys families all over our country.
Pushed on whether the US was planning any strikes on land, Trump refused to rule it out, saying: I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that... I'm not gonna tell you what I'm gonna do with Venezuela, if I was gonna do it or if I wasn't going to do it. Long-range bomber planes, B-52s, have carried out bomber attack demonstrations off the coast of Venezuela. Trump has authorized the deployment of the CIA to Venezuela and the world's largest aircraft carrier is being sent to the region.
Maduro has accused Washington of fabricating a new war, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro claims the strikes on boats are being used by the US to dominate Latin America. Trump is adamant that the US government will not allow people from outside to infiltrate the country, citing gangs in Venezuela as a significant threat. He labeled Tren de Aragua as the most vicious gang anywhere in the world.
The US continues to launch strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. The Trump administration says the strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the US. Trump rejected suggestions that the US action was not about stopping narcotics, but aimed at ousting Maduro, explaining it was about many things.
At least 64 people have been killed by US strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump stated: Every single boat that you see that's shot down kills 25,000 on drugs and destroys families all over our country.
Pushed on whether the US was planning any strikes on land, Trump refused to rule it out, saying: I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that... I'm not gonna tell you what I'm gonna do with Venezuela, if I was gonna do it or if I wasn't going to do it. Long-range bomber planes, B-52s, have carried out bomber attack demonstrations off the coast of Venezuela. Trump has authorized the deployment of the CIA to Venezuela and the world's largest aircraft carrier is being sent to the region.
Maduro has accused Washington of fabricating a new war, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro claims the strikes on boats are being used by the US to dominate Latin America. Trump is adamant that the US government will not allow people from outside to infiltrate the country, citing gangs in Venezuela as a significant threat. He labeled Tren de Aragua as the most vicious gang anywhere in the world.
