U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to rule out military action against Venezuela, as his administration steps up efforts to block the country’s oil exports and increase pressure on President Nicolás Maduro.
Asked by NBC News on Thursday whether war with Venezuela was possible, Trump said: “I don’t rule it out, no.” He declined to say whether Washington was seeking to remove Maduro, after previously saying the leader’s “days are numbered.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that the current situation with the Venezuelan government was “intolerable” and pledged to enforce US sanctions aimed at halting oil shipments. “Our goal is to change that dynamic,” Rubio said, while stopping short of explicitly calling for regime change.
Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, relies heavily on crude exports for state revenue and to support allies such as Cuba. Caracas has vowed to keep its shipments moving.
The Trump administration on Friday imposed new sanctions on additional relatives and associates of Maduro. It has not sought congressional authorisation for military action. A Quinnipiac University poll this month found 63% of US voters oppose military intervention in Venezuela.
