The United States has offered Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro the chance to leave his country for Russia or elsewhere, amid heightened fears of imminent US military action.
President Donald Trump sharply escalated his threats against Venezuela by warning Saturday that the country鈥檚 airspace should be considered 鈥渃losed,鈥 while the US military maintains a significant presence in the region.
Though Trump has not publicly threatened to use force against Maduro, he said in recent days that efforts to halt Venezuelan drug trafficking 鈥渂y land鈥 would begin 鈥渧ery soon鈥.
Maduro has said he views the US military presence in the Caribbean as a precursor to regime change.
鈥淏y the way, we gave Maduro an opportunity to leave. We said he could leave and go to Russia or he could go to another country,鈥 Markwayne Mullin, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN鈥檚 鈥淪tate of the Union鈥 talk show.
When asked whether Trump was planning to attack Venezuela, the senator from Oklahoma said: 鈥淣o, he鈥檚 made it very clear we鈥檙e not going to put troops into Venezuela. What we鈥檙e trying to do is protect our own shores鈥.
Since September, US air strikes have targeted alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing at least 83 people.
Washington claims the leftist Maduro heads an alleged drug cartel.
Maduro 鈥渋s an illegitimate leader who has been indicted for drug trafficking in US courts and maintains control of Venezuela by a reign of terror鈥, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump supporter, said Saturday on X.
鈥淧resident Trump鈥檚 strong commitment to end this madness in Venezuela will save countless American lives and will give the beautiful people of Venezuela a new lease on life. I hear Turkey and Iran are lovely this time of year鈥︹
The steady US military build-up has seen the world鈥檚 largest aircraft carrier deployed to Caribbean waters, while American fighter jets and bombers have repeatedly flown off the Venezuelan coast in recent days.
The New York Times reported Friday that Trump and Maduro had discussed a possible meeting, while The Wall Street Journal said Saturday that the conversation also included conditions of amnesty if Maduro were to step down.
- Agence France-Presse
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