Venezuelan political crisis likely to top Pence agenda
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Latin America comes amid unrest in Venezuela and concern by its neighbors about a possible American military role.
Pence planned to meet with Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, later Sunday at the start of a weeklong trip likely to be dominated by conversations about the crisis in Venezuela. The United States accuses Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of a power grab that has sparked deadly protests and condemnation across the region.
President Trump on Friday said he would not rule out a “military option” in response to Maduro’s moves.
That statement drew quick condemnation, including from the Colombian Foreign Ministry, which opposed any “military measures and the use of force,” and said efforts to resolve Venezuela’s breakdown in democracy should be peaceful and respect its sovereignty.
CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Trump, by raising the prospect of possible military action, was trying “to give the Venezuelan people hope and opportunity to create a situation where democracy can be restored.” Pompeo told “Fox News Sunday” that Venezuela “could very much become a risk” to the U.S. if it descended into further chaos.
Yet a Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee who calls himself “a pretty hawkish guy” expressed skepticism about the idea of American troops in Caracas.
“I’m open-minded to a reason, but at the end of the day, our military should be deployed when there’s a national security interest that can be articulated to the American people,” South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham told “Fox News Sunday,” adding: “I don’t see one in Venezuela in terms of the military force.”
Trump’s national security adviser said the Trump administration wants to get a handle on the current situation under Maduro’s embattled government and “understand better how this crisis might evolve.”
Venezuela’s chief opposition coalition issued a restrained criticism of Trump’s talk of using a “military option.” The coalition rejected “the use of force or threats of applying the same in Venezuela on the part of any country.” But the coalition’s statement didn’t directly mention Trump’s remarks.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions against Maduro and more than two-dozen current and former officials in response to a crackdown on opposition leaders and the recent election of a pro-government assembly given the job of rewriting the country’s Constitution.
“When you look at contingencies, when you look at what if — what if the suffering of the Venezuelan people increases by orders of magnitude — what more can we do with our partners in the region to protect the Venezuelan people and prevent an even greater humanitarian catastrophe?” Gen. H.R. McMaster, Trump’s national security adviser, told ABC’s “This Week.”
Pence has scheduled other stops in Argentina, Chile and Panama, giving speeches and meeting with leaders. He will tour the newly expanded Panama Canal.