Taking note of the continued crisis in Venezuela, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday said that the Trump administration is ready to take military action ‘if that’s what’s required’ to resolve the situation in the South American country.
Taking note of the continued crisis in Venezuela, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday said that the Trump administration is ready to take military action ‘if that’s what’s required’ to resolve the situation in the South American country.
“The president has been crystal clear and incredibly consistent. Military action is possible. If that’s what’s required, that’s what the United States will do,” Pompeo said on Fox Business Network, as reported by AFP. Pompeo added that the US would prefer a peaceful transition of power.
In a televised interview to the same news channel, White House national security adviser John Bolton said that Mike Pompeo was scheduled to speak with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over the situation in Venezuela.
Bolton made it clear that Russia’s interference in the matter was not welcome. Though he did not elaborate about their knowledge of Russia’s involvement in the Venezuelan political crisis. “This is our hemisphere… It’s not where the Russians ought to be interfering. This is a mistake on their part. It’s not going to lead to an improvement of relations,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
On Tuesday, Pompeo had accused the Russian government of intervening when the incumbent President Nicolas Maduro was prepared to leave the country in face of a call for a military uprising by opposition leader Juan Guaido.
Soon after his call, the streets of Caracas erupted with rebellion against the ruling dispensation. Though the protest did not garner a lot of military support it was one of the most serious challenges Maduro’s rule yet. Gaido enjoys the backing of the US government.
“The president has been crystal clear and incredibly consistent. Military action is possible. If that’s what’s required, that’s what the United States will do,” Pompeo said on Fox Business Network, as reported by AFP. Pompeo added that the US would prefer a peaceful transition of power.
In a televised interview to the same news channel, White House national security adviser John Bolton said that Mike Pompeo was scheduled to speak with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over the situation in Venezuela.
Bolton made it clear that Russia’s interference in the matter was not welcome. Though he did not elaborate about their knowledge of Russia’s involvement in the Venezuelan political crisis. “This is our hemisphere… It’s not where the Russians ought to be interfering. This is a mistake on their part. It’s not going to lead to an improvement of relations,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
On Tuesday, Pompeo had accused the Russian government of intervening when the incumbent President Nicolas Maduro was prepared to leave the country in face of a call for a military uprising by opposition leader Juan Guaido.
Soon after his call, the streets of Caracas erupted with rebellion against the ruling dispensation. Though the protest did not garner a lot of military support it was one of the most serious challenges Maduro’s rule yet. Gaido enjoys the backing of the US government.