Trump hints at talks with Maduro, declines to rule out troops deployment in Venezuela
The United States has launched a campaign of deadly strikes against alleged drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast in the Caribbean and the Pacific coast of Latin America.
When asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether the US president would rule out deploying the military on the ground in Venezuela, Trump said, “No, I don’t rule out that, I don’t rule out anything.” Though the president reiterated that he “probably would talk” to Maduro and hours later after his statement, the Venezuela president said he was open to dialogue with the Trump administration.
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The United States has launched a campaign of deadly strikes against alleged drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast in the Caribbean and the Pacific coast of Latin America. The US military has till now carried out 21 strikes and killed over 80 people on board the vessels. Though Maduro has repeatedly said that a US military buildup in the Caribbean is an attempt to remove him from power.
.@POTUS on Venezuela: "I don't rule out anything… They dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country… I'm not in love with the people running Venezuela." pic.twitter.com/E9PN837sRv
When Trump was asked whether Maduro could say anything to him that could lead to the US military backing off its show of strength in the Caribbean, the Republican leader sidestepped that question. While directly accusing Maduro of supplying drugs and migrants to the US from Venezuela, Trump said, “He’s done tremendous damage to our country. He has not been good to the United States, so we’ll see what happens.”
Trump also talked about not ruling out a possibility of military action against close neighbours of the US in the region. The US president said he’s “not happy with Mexico”.
“Would I want strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? OK with me, whatever we have to do to stop drugs,” Trump said. The Republican leader also targeted Colombia’s “cocaine factories” and said, “Would I knock out those factories? I would be proud to do it personally. I didn’t say I’m doing it but I would be proud to do it.”
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Trump also talked about not ruling out a possibility of military action against close neighbours of the US in the region. (AP Photo) 
