Members of US President Donald Trump's administration, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are seeking to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and are discussing increasing military pressure to achieve that goal, the New York Times reported, citing US officials.
„Efforts by senior aides to remove Nicolas Maduro from power have intensified in recent days, with administration officials discussing a broad campaign that could lead to increased military pressure to force him to step down. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio is leading the effort. Rubio claims Maduro is an illegitimate leader who controls drug exports to the United States, the article said.
According to the newspaper, Rubio has formulated a more aggressive strategy using data from the Central Intelligence Agency. The secretary of state's approach is supported by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Trump's homeland security adviser Stephen Miller. Current and former officials told the newspaper that the US military is planning potential military operations against suspected drug traffickers in Venezuela as a next step, but the White House has not yet approved it.
Venezuelan opposition representatives told the newspaper that they are planning to overthrow Maduro and are discussing the possibility with the Trump administration. White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt said on August 19 that Trump is ready to deploy "all elements of US forces" to combat drug trafficking, without ruling out the possibility of a military operation in Venezuela. The statement came after the dispatch of US warships, including a guided missile cruiser and a nuclear submarine, to the coast of the republic. Caracas called these steps a provocation and an attempt to destabilize the region, as well as a violation of international agreements on the demilitarized and nuclear-free status of the Caribbean region.