Venezuela's Maduro seeks to capitalize on Trump's military threat

[corbe]

August 14, 2017 / 10:51 AM / 30 minutes ago
Hugh Bronstein

Venezuela's Maduro seeks to capitalize on Trump's military threat


CARACAS (Reuters) - While U.S. Vice President Mike Pence travels to Latin America tamping down concern over his boss's threat of possible military action in Venezuela, the country's leader Nicolas Maduro sought to capitalize on local outrage by holding an "anti-imperialist" protest on Monday.

The march started with a late morning rally and was expected to end at the presidential palace where Maduro will address the crowd, while a conciliatory Pence continued a tour of the region that began in Colombia on Sunday.

In Cartagena, Pence backpedaled from President Donald Trump's statement last week that a "military option" was on the table for Venezuela.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-idUSKCN1AU1S8?il=0

[Cripplecreek]

As predicted.

[Free Vulcan]

And this is one of those times where Trump should have shut up.

[edpc]

In words that Trump can understand – he just conceded a 50 foot putt.

[TomSea]

Trump's statement got a lot of criticism in how it smacked of "Yanqui" imperialism but I don't think the criticism was universal.  A military option is rather open as to interpretation.

If the Venezuelan government has officials that have made threats against US Senators, that could likewise, affect things.

[edpc]

Trump's statement got a lot of criticism in how it smacked of "Yanqui" imperialism but I don't think the criticism was universal.  A military option is rather open as to interpretation.

It is open, but I think Trump may have had something like Operation Restore Hope in mind.  Obviously, Maduro is going to milk it.  I'd hate to see a repeat of 1993 and a Venezuelan version of Somalia.