‘We’ll do what needs to be done’: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo keeps open military option for Venezuela
- As violence continues along the Venezuelan border, efforts to deliver US-backed aid have been blocked by troops loyal to Nicolas Maduro
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday continued to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's regime to back down as unrest in the country continues to escalate, continuing to say that military interference is not off the table.
“Every option is on the table, we're going to do the things that need to be done to make sure that the Venezuelan people's voice, that democracy reigns and that there's a brighter future for the people of Venezuela,” Pompeo said during an interview on Fox News Sunday when asked whether the US is considering a military option in Venezuela.
Violence broke out along the border in Venezuela after troops loyal to Maduro blocked a US-backed drive to deliver foreign aid. The troops also targeted protesters aligned with opposition leader Juan Guaido by firing tear gas that left several dead and hundreds injured.
The Trump administration, in addition to several governments of European Union member nations, have backed Guaido after the 35-year-old declared himself interim president last month.
Trump last week held a rally in Miami to denounce Maduro and socialism in an attempt to appeal to a coveted bloc of Venezuelan-American voters who fled to Florida amid economic turmoil in their home country.