Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 26 september 2018

Venezuelan socialist president easily toppled

By SCOTT SMITH erful socialist party boss Di-
Associated Press osdado Cabello.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Trump publicly floated the
— President Donald Trump idea of a military option in
suggested on Tuesday that August 2017, but since then
Venezuela's leader Nico- he has avoided making
las Maduro could be eas- any direct references to a
ily toppled by a military possible attack.
coup and the U.S stepped Maduro, however, has re-
up financial pressure by peatedly accused the U.S.
slapping the socialist presi- of backing attempts to
dent's inner circle with fresh overthrow him.
sanctions. But Fernando Cutz, who
Trump declined to respond until April led U.S. policy on
to questions about whether Venezuela at the Nation-
a U.S.-led military interven- al Security Council under
tion in the crisis-stricken both Presidents Obama
country was possible, say- and Trump, said that only
ing he doesn't reveal mili- in unusual cases would the
tary strategy. United States employ mili-
"It's a regime that, frankly, tary action in Venezuela.
could be toppled very An attack on the U.S. Em-
quickly by the military if the In this photo released, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and wife Cilia Flores greet support- bassy in Caracas harming
military decides to do that," ers upon their arrival to a meeting with Colombian citizens that reside in Venezuela, In Caracas, American citizens would
Trump said in comments Venezuela, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018. warrant a military response,
on the sidelines of the U.N. Associated Press he said, or a scenario where
General Assembly. "It's a Venezuelan government
truly bad place in the world Venezuelan people suffer," within the government in ure in her own right, and forces slaughtered 1,000 or
today." Treasury Secretary Steven the hopes it could force a has served in congress as more of its own people.
Earlier in the day, the Trump T. Mnuchin said in a state- democratic transition from well as a constitutional as- Cutz spoke publicly Mon-
administration slapped fi- ment. within. sembly that has expansive day at the Wilson Center
nancial sanctions on four Over the past two years the "This clearly breaks from powers. think tank in Washington
members of Maduro's in- Trump administration has that strategy, said Smilde. Beyond rallying Maduro's for the first time since leav-
ner circle, including his wife sanctioned dozens of indi- "If everyone is sanctioned opponents, it's unclear ing government. He said he
and the nation's vice presi- viduals, including Maduro then it could end up uniting what impact the sanctions did not back force as an
dent, on allegations of cor- himself, on allegations of the government." will have. option, but that it's likely the
ruption. corruption, drug trafficking Maduro later appeared on For over a year, top U.S. only way the entrenched
As part of the actions, the and human rights abuses. state television, thanking officials have struggled Maduro regime could be
U.S. barred Americans from But until now it had spared Trump for sanctions that he to build support for more- removed.
doing business with and key leaders like Delcy Ro- called a badge of honor sweeping oil sanctions, fac- "For us to remove that from
will seize any financial as- driguez, as well as the U.S.- for those around him in a ing resistance from energy the table is irresponsible,"
sets in the U.S. belonging to trained Padrino, believing battle against what he calls companies still active in Cutz said. "We need to
First Lady Cilia Flores, Vice they occupy seats of power an imperialist power. He the country and fearing it keep all the options on the
President Delcy Rodriguez, and could play a key role in also blasted the sanctions could tip the OPEC nation table."
Communications Minister an eventual transition. targeting his wife. over the edge at a time of Adding to the political pres-
Jorge Rodriguez and De- David Smilde, a Tulane Uni- "If you want to attack me, hyperinflation and wide- sure, a bi-partisan group of
fense Minister Vladimir Pa- versity professor who has come at me directly. But spread food and medicine 11 senators on Monday in-
drino. spent more than two de- don't touch Cilia and my shortages. troduced sweeping legisla-
"We are continuing to des- cades living and working in family," Maduro said, call- The latest sanctions by the tion that calls for expand-
ignate loyalists who en- Venezuela, said Tuesday's ing her an anti-imperialist U.S. Treasury Department ing humanitarian relief to
able Maduro to solidify his actions would seem to warrior. "Her only crime is also seized a $20 million Venezuelans by $40 million
hold on the military and suggest the U.S. has given being my wife." private jet belonging to an and increasing pressure on
the government while the up trying to sow division Flores is an influential fig- alleged front man for pow- Maduro's government.q