US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decried the “status quo” with the Maduro government as “intolerable” as the Trump administration on Friday introduced new sanctions on family members of the embattled Venezuelan chief.
For months, the administration has carried out a marketing campaign of lethal navy strikes within the Caribbean and Pacific and mounting financial stress towards Caracas as a part of what they’ve described as a warfare towards drug trafficking. They have resisted saying that they’re actively looking for regime change in Venezuela however have accused President Nicolas Maduro of being illegitimate and a narco-trafficker.
On Friday, Rubio doubled down on these accusations.
“It is clear that the current status quo with the current Venezuelan regime is intolerable for the United States,” Rubio mentioned Friday when requested about feedback from the White House chief of workers that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle.”
“The status quo that they operate and cooperate with terrorist organizations against the national interest of the United States – not just cooperate, but partner with and participate in activities that threaten the national interest of the United States,” Rubio mentioned at a press convention.
“So yes, our goal is to change that dynamic and that’s why the president is doing what he’s doing,” he mentioned.
“No one can argue that transnational criminality and terrorism in our hemisphere is not a threat to the national interest of the United States,” he mentioned. “We reserve the right and have the right to utilize every element of national power to defend the national interest of the United States.”
US navy forces have carried out scores of lethal navy strikes towards alleged drug vessels, killing over 100 folks. Those strikes have come below excessive scrutiny by members of Congress. In an interview with NBC Friday, President Donald Trump didn’t rule out warfare with Venezuela. Earlier this week, the US president announced a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving from Venezuela. He has repeatedly threatened land strikes within the nation. Neither Trump nor Rubio has dedicated to informing Congress forward of time about that potential act of warfare.
On Friday, the Treasury Department introduced new sanctions on Maduro’s family members – the second spherical towards his family in as many weeks.
Officials have argued that their marketing campaign of punitive monetary ways and controversial and lethal navy strikes is to cease drug trafficking, not essentially to oust the regime in Caracas.
Last week, the administration hit three of Maduro’s nephews with sanctions, together with the 2 so-called “narco nephews” who had been granted clemency in October 2022 as a part of a prisoner swap for Americans detained in Venezuela. The third nephew, Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, was sanctioned for being a member of the Venezuelan authorities.
The newest spherical of sanctions goal Maduro’s sister-in-law and different family of Malpica Flores.
“Maduro and his cronies have devastated Venezuela’s economy and continue to threaten our region’s stability,” State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott mentioned in an announcement. “The Trump Administration is committed to disrupting the network of individuals who prop up Maduro and his regime.”