President Trump is willing to use “military force” to oust Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Tuesday evening.
“We hope there can be a peaceful resolution and that Maduro will leave without violence,” Pompeo told Fox News’ Bret Baier. “We’re watching those who are engaged in violence and we will hold them accountable. But the president has made very, very clear that we are going to ensure that Venezuelan democracy is restored.”
Pompeo made those comments in response to Venezuelan accusations that the United States has deployed 3,000 people to the U.S. Embassy in neighboring Colombia “planning for war” against Venezuela. The top U.S. diplomat declined to comment on the exact number of Americans at the embassy — “they change from day to day,” he demurred — but left the distinct impression that Trump means for Maduro to leave the easy way or the hard way.
“If the question is, is the United States prepared to consider military action if that’s what it takes to restore the democracy there in Venezuela, the president’s been consistent and unambiguous about that, that the option to use military force is available if that’s what is ultimately called for,” he said.
Pompeo’s comments advanced the American threat of military force beyond previous U.S. stipulations “all options are on the table,” aired to deter the potential threats against opposition lawmaker Juan Guaidó. Trump recognized Guaidó as the legitimate interim president of Venezuela in January, after Maduro took the oath of office based on an election that regional observers deemed fraudulent, but the heir to the late socialist President Hugo Chávez has clung to power with Russian and Cuban support and the practical loyalty of the Venezuelan military.
“I hear sometimes people saying, well, the United States is considering an invasion. The invasion has taken place,” Pompeo said. “The Cubans have thousands of their officers inside of Venezuela today. They are not there with the consent of the government; they’re there with the consent of the thug Nicolás Maduro, but not Juan Guaidó, the duly elected leader of the Venezuelan government today. And for the Russians it’s the same.”
That external support was critical earlier Tuesday morning, according to Pompeo, when Maduro came close to admitting defeat as Guaidó rallied the Venezuelan troops who have defected to his side and called for the rest of the military to abandon Maduro.
“He had an airplane on the tarmac, he was ready to leave this morning, as we understand it, and the Russians indicated he should stay,” Pompeo said in a CNN interview. “He was headed for Havana … the fact that Maduro’s plane was parked on the tarmac and he was preparing himself to depart is a fact.”
