Trump Suggests Maduro’s Time as President is Ending, Denies Immediate War Plans
US President Donald Trump has hinted that the days of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in power are coming to an end. Tensions between the two countries have escalated amid an increased US military presence in the Caribbean Sea.
On Sunday (November 2nd), during an interview on the popular CBS News program 60 Minutes, host Nora O’Donnell asked Trump if Maduro’s time as president was over. Trump replied, “Yes, I think so.” However, he dismissed the possibility of a war against Venezuela.
The US President declined to comment directly on a potential ground invasion:
Trump stated: “I am not willing to say right now that I will do that.”
Last Friday, Trump also denied media reports that the US was planning an attack on Venezuelan military installations. He said that no decision had yet been made on the matter.
Escalation and Accusations
Earlier, several US media outlets claimed that the Trump administration had decided to launch an attack on Venezuelan military installations as part of efforts to combat so-called “narco-terrorism,” and that the attack could begin at any moment.
Washington accuses Maduro of running a criminal organization called ‘Cartel de Los Soles,’ which the US designated as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization” last July.
Since the beginning of September, at least 14 attacks have been carried out in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific regions, resulting in the deaths of over 64 people.
International Concern
Human rights organizations and legal experts have questioned the legitimacy of these attacks, arguing that the US military strikes on alleged drug-carrying vessels violate international law.
• Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called the attacks “unacceptable” and demanded an independent investigation by the United Nations.
Meanwhile, Maduro has dismissed the US allegations as “obscene and completely false,” stating that Venezuela is not a coca leaf producer. He referred to the US military actions as a plan for a “new and endless war.”
