Trump Aims to Force Venezuela's Maduro to Leave Power
Speaking to the press at his Palm Beach, Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, the U.S. President responded to questions about whether Washington aims to oust Maduro from power. "Well, I think it probably would... That's up to him what he wants to do. I think it'd be smart for him to do that," Trump stated.
He delivered a blunt ultimatum: "If he plays tough, it'll be the last time he's ever able to play tough," he added.
Trump confirmed American forces had spent the weekend tracking a sanctioned oil vessel.
Multiple U.S. news outlets reported Sunday that the sanctioned tanker Bella 1 was being pursued by the U.S. Coast Guard through international waters near Venezuela's coast as it approached the country for cargo operations. According to The New York Times, the ship evaded capture Monday by fleeing into Atlantic waters. If intercepted, Bella 1 would mark the third oil tanker seized by Washington from Venezuelan waters in less than 14 days.
Last week, Trump ordered a "full and total blockade" of all sanctioned tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, designating Maduro's government a U.S.-labeled foreign terrorist organization.
The Pentagon has deployed approximately a dozen warships—including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford—plus roughly 15,000 military personnel to the Caribbean Sea, which borders Venezuela extensively. Such a massive American military presence hasn't been seen in the region for at least 30 years.
During a phone conversation with media last week, Trump refused to dismiss the prospect of armed conflict with the oil-wealthy South American country.
Venezuelan authorities have repeatedly condemned Washington for attempting regime change and military encroachment throughout Latin America, characterizing the tanker seizures as "piracy."
Maduro, while avoiding direct reference to Trump's statements, insisted Monday that world leaders should prioritize their own countries' internal challenges. "If I speak to him again, I will tell him: each country should mind its own internal affairs," Maduro said on Monday in a televised address.
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