Trump: “It would be smart for him to do that”: supports Maduro’s resignation from Venezuela
Trump: As the United States continues to increase military and economic pressure on the South American country, President Donald Trump said that it would be a “smart” move for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.
Trump said, “Well, I think it probably would,” when asked whether ousting Maduro was the aim.
“I’m not sure. What he wants to do is up to him. That seems like a wise move on his part. We’ll find out once again.”
“Look, Venezuela did terrible things to the United States,” Trump said. Millions and hundreds of thousands of migrants have entered our open border. More than any other nation, they sent their criminals, inmates, drug traffickers, and mentally ill and incompetent individuals to our nation.”
Trump pointed out that comparable migrations have occurred in other countries, such as the Congo, but he attributed the severity of the situation at the US southern border to the past government.
“We just let them come right in because we were run by a stupid president,” Trump said. “But you don’t have a stupid president anymore.”
These recent remarks, along with the recent seizure of two tankers off the coast of Venezuela this month, coincided with the White House’s official framing of its increased military presence in the Caribbean as an anti-drug operation. On Sunday (local time), they started pursuing what it called a “dark fleet” vessel in international waters close to Venezuela after the ship refused to stop and kept going, CNN reported.
When US Coast Guard members tried to board the ship, known as Bella 1, it was headed for Venezuela to carry oil.
US officials claim that Bella 1 is part of a “shadow fleet” that transports petroleum from sanctioned nations and is subject to US sanctions due to its connections to Iranian oil. The seizure of the vessel was previously authorized by a court order.
The Venezuelan administration, however, has called the action a “act of piracy” and a clear effort by the US to take control of the nation’s oil resources and overthrow its government.