U.S. military options in Venezuela focus of meeting

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration ended a week of pointed but vague threats of a military response to the Venezuelan political crisis Friday with a meeting at the Pentagon to consider its options, but there was still no sign any action was on the horizon.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and other officials reviewed options after a failed effort earlier this week by Venezuelan opposition leaders to fuel an uprising.

The Pentagon has no direct role in Venezuela but has been consulting the White House on ways it can support U.S. diplomacy and prepare for contingencies that could arise, including a crisis that endangers Americans in Venezuela.

In an interview with reporters Friday, Shanahan said Navy Adm. Craig Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command, flew to Washington to meet with him and other officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser.

The session highlighted the administration’s effort to suggest the possibility of military action, perhaps as a way of increasing pressure on Maduro, although there appears to be little likelihood of direct U.S. military intervention.

They reviewed and refined military planning and options for responding to the crisis, Shanahan said. He declined to provide details and gave no indication they made decisions to take any military action.

“We have a comprehensive set of options tailored to certain conditions, and I’m just going to leave it at that,” he said.