"Early in his first term, Donald Trump mooted a military option for Venezuela to dislodge its president, Nicolas Maduro. Reports suggest that he eagerly discussed the prospect of an invasion behind closed doors. Advisers eventually talked him down. Instead, the US pursued a maximum pressure strategy of sanctions and threats. But Mr Maduro is still in place. And Mr Trump's attempts to remove him are ramping up again. The US has amassed its largest military presence in the Caribbean since the 1989 invasion of Panama."
"It has carried out more than 20 shocking strikes on alleged drug boats. Mr Trump reportedly delivered an ultimatum late last month, telling the Venezuelan leader that he could have safe passage from his country if he left immediately. There was already a $50m bounty on his head. This week came expanded sanctions and the seizure of a tanker. Mr Maduro, who took over from Hugo Chavez in 2013,"
"Venezuela is neither a significant producer of nor major conduit for drugs consumed in the US. And Mr Trump has just pardoned the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez for major drugs-related convictions. But Mr Maduro's failures have given Venezuelans good reason to flee. Around 700,000 of the 8 million who have left the country because of its economic collapse have ended up in the US."
Donald Trump considered a military invasion of Venezuela early in his term but was talked down by advisers, leading to a maximum-pressure strategy of sanctions and threats. The US has increased its military presence in the Caribbean to its highest level since 1989 and has conducted more than 20 strikes on alleged drug boats. Mr Trump reportedly offered Mr Maduro safe passage and a $50m bounty existed on his head; the US recently expanded sanctions and seized a tanker. Mr Maduro swore himself in for a third term despite evidence the opposition won. Venezuela is not a major source or conduit for US drugs, yet economic collapse has driven about 8 million people from the country, roughly 700,000 of whom are in the US. Destabilising Venezuela to cut migration is likely to worsen refugee flows.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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