Why Doesnt "Me Too" Apply to Democrats?

[webfact]

Tillerson raises prospect of Venezuela military ouster of Maduro

By Jon Herskovitz

 

FILE PHOTO - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro holds a document as he speaks during a meeting with ministers in Caracas, Venezuela January 30, 2018. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS

 

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday raised the prospect that the Venezuelan military could decide to oust President Nicolas Maduro but said he did not know whether that would happen.

 

In a speech at the University of Texas ahead of five-nation Latin America tour, Tillerson insisted the Trump administration was not advocating "regime change" in Venezuela but said it would be "easiest" if Maduro chose to leave power on his own.

 

Tillerson predicted there would be change of some kind in Venezuela and said the United States, which has had steadily worsening relations with the country's Socialist government, wanted it to be a peaceful one.

 

Maduro, whose approval ratings are low amid a collapsing economy, runaway inflation and rising malnutrition in the oil-producing country, is seeking re-election in a vote that must be held by the end of April.

 

“We have not advocated for regime change or removal of President Maduro. We have advocated that they return to the constitution,” Tillerson said when asked during a question-and-answer session whether the removal of Maduro was necessary or the United States would play a role in it.

 

However, he then suggested the possibility that internal forces might take action, though he offered no evidence the United States had intelligence backing the notion that the military might turn against Maduro.

 

"In the history of Venezuela and in fact the history in other Latin America and South American countries, often times, it is the military that handles that," Tillerson said.

 

"When things are so bad that the military leadership realizes that it just can't serve the citizens anymore, they will manage a peaceful transition," he said. But he added that, "Whether that will be the case here or not, I do not know."

 

The United States and other Western governments accuse as Maduro's government of violating political and human rights in Venezuela and have imposed economic sanctions. Critics at home say Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chavez in 2013, has wrecked the economy and skewed the election system to perpetuate power for his Socialist Party.

 

Maduro's government, which is allied with Cuba's Communist leadership, says it is fighting a U.S.-led right-wing conspiracy determined to end socialism in Latin America, hobble Venezuela's economy, and steal its oil wealth.

 

The Venezuelan government did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

 

"Maduro should get back to his constitution and follow it," Tillerson said. "And then, if he is not re-elected by the people, so be it."

 

"Then, if the kitchen gets a little too hot for him, I am sure that he got some friends over in Cuba that could give him a nice hacienda on the beach and he could have a nice life over there."

 

(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom and Jon Herskovitz, writing by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-02

[Kiwiken]

US sponsored coup well theres something different in the World

[bkkcanuck8]

2 hours ago, Kiwiken said:

US sponsored coup well theres something different in the World

They still have that pesky law - so they won't do it directly.  

[kamahele]

3 hours ago, Kiwiken said:

US sponsored coup well theres something different in the World

I don't know that it would take the US being a sponsor of a coup to make it happen in Venezuela. At this point it is a failed state and the people are starving and the hospitals have insufficient medicines to treat even the mildest of illnesses. The people are frustrated and angry already.

[wonder6281]

No mention of plans to circumvent the petrodollar??? 

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

They still have that pesky law - so they won't do it directly.  

Not directly:

https://www.crikey.com.au/2015/11/25/rundle-proving-the-cia-backed-conspiracy-that-brought-down-whitlam/

[MyFriend You]

Chile, Guatamela, Panama, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti  -  whats one more, about ten years too late I say.............

 

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

he then suggested the possibility that internal forces might take action, though he offered no evidence the United States had intelligence backing the notion that the military might turn against Maduro.

Fake news from the Trump administration.

The same kind of fake news that led to the Iraq invasion.

[wabothai]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Fake news from the Trump administration.

The same kind of fake news that led to the Iraq invasion.

Correction: news from the fake trump administration