Donald Trump has said he is not planning to launch attacks on Venezuela following ramped-up US military presence in the region.
The US president denied that he is considering airstrikes in the South American country for now.
The US military presence has ramped up in the Caribbean region in recent months, including more fighter jets and warships, raising concerns over possible attacks on Venezuela led by dictator Nicolas Maduro.
When asked by reporters on board Air Force One today whether he was planning strikes, Trump said ‘No.’
It remains unclear whether he ruled out future strikes inside Venezuela or meant no final decision has been made.
It comes after concerns that the US might be expanding anti-drug trafficking operations into the country.
Rumours have also circulated for a while that Trump wants to push for regime change to unseat Maduro, who has accused the US of ‘fabricating a new eternal war.’
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerard R Ford, has added to Maduro’s unease as it has been spotted in the Caribbean.
Venezuela stopped a gas deal this week with its neighbour, Trinidad and Tobago, following accusations that the island nation had welcomed USS Gravely, anAmerican warship also in the area.
US forces have reportedly carried out 11 fatal strikes targeting boats in Venezuelan waters following claims they are carrying drugs linked to gangs.
At least 27 people were reportedly killed in the attacks.
The Venezuelan government has denied this, with Maduro arguing his country ‘does not produce cocaine leaves.’
Trump’s latest change of heart represents a U-turn after he had previously said he had authorised the CIA to go into Venezuela.
He said two weeks ago that he had allowed the operations because Venezuela has ’emptied their prisons into the United States of America.’
‘And the other thing are drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, so you get to see that, but we’re going to stop them by land also,’ he said.
But he dodged answering directly when asked if the CIA had ‘the authority to take out Maduro.’
Maduro, the controversial figure who has been in power since 2013, has reportedly pleaded with Russia’s Vladimir Putin for assistance in a letter, according to the Washington Post.
He reportedly also sent a letter to China for more military cooperation after ‘the escalation between the US and Venezuela.’
Meanwhile, the US Department of War, formerly known as Pentagon, has given permission for the White House to provide Ukraine with the long-range Tomahawk missiles.
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The missiles were a key part of the phone call between Trump and Putin two weeks ago, with the Kremlin opposed to the prospect as the weapons have enough range to reach Moscow from inside Ukraine.
Trump has also reaffirmed his aim for the US to restart nuclear weapons tests, which the country hasn’t done since 1992.
When quizzed about the plan today, Trump declined to rule out underground detonation testing, which was common during the Cold War.
He answered cryptically ‘you’ll find out very soon.’
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