US President Donald Trump(L), Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
Credit: Reuters Photo
US President Donald Trump said on Monday it would be smart for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to leave power, and the United States could keep or sell the oil it had seized off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks.
Trump's pressure campaign on Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels allegedly trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near the South American nation. At least 100 people have been killed in the attacks.
Asked if the goal was to force Maduro from power, Trump told reporters: "Well, I think it probably would... That's up to him what he wants to do. I think it'd be smart for him to do that. But again, we're gonna find out."
"If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it'll be the last time he's ever able to play tough," he said.
Maduro, however seems to be unperturbed or at least defiant in his stance and has said every leader should attend to the internal affairs of their own country.
"If I speak to him again, I will tell him- each country should mind its own internal affairs," Maduro said, referring to an initial phone call between the two leaders last month.
Meanwhile, the US president also announced the construction of a new 'Trump class' of warships that would anchor what he called a golden fleet for the US Navy. In his own words, these 'Trump class' of ships will be giving the present 'old and tired and obsolete' ships a makeover.
“We’re desperately in need of ships,” said Trump, adding that he was involved in designing the new warships. “Our ships are — some of them have gotten old and tired and obsolete and we’re going to go in the exact opposite direction.”
(With inputs from Reuters)