Trump tells Russia to get its troops out of Venezuela

[webfact]

Trump tells Russia to get its troops out of Venezuela

By Steve Holland and Lesley Wroughton

 

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Fabiana Rosales, wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Russia to pull its troops from Venezuela and said that "all options" were open to make that happen.

 

The arrival of two Russian air force planes outside Caracas on Saturday believed to be carrying nearly 100 Russian special forces and cybersecurity personnel has escalated the political crisis in Venezuela.

 

Russia and China have backed President Nicolas Maduro, while the United States and most other Western countries support opposition leader Juan Guaido. In January, Guaido invoked the constitution to assume Venezuela's interim presidency, arguing that Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate.

 

"Russia has to get out," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, where he met with Guaido's wife, Fabiana Rosales.

 

Asked how he would make Russian forces leave, Trump said: "We'll see. All options are open."

 

Maduro, who retains control of state functions and the country's military, has said Guaido is a puppet of the United States.

 

Russia has bilateral relations and agreements with Venezuela and Maduro that it plans to honour, Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said on Twitter.

 

A spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said the United States should pull troops from Syria before telling Moscow to withdraw from Venezuela.

 

"Before giving advice to somebody to withdraw from somewhere, the United States should bring to life its own concept of exodus, particularly from Syria," Zakharova said, speaking on Russia’s state Channel One, TASS agency quoted her as saying.

 

Venezuela's economy is in tatters with food and medicine in short supply due to years of hyperinflation. In addition, citizens are now grappling with power blackouts that experts have blamed on years of neglect and maintenance.

 

Earlier this year, the Trump administration slapped sanctions on state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, known as PDVSA, to try to cut off revenues to Maduro. Oil provides 90 percent of export revenue for Venezuela, an OPEC member. Trump has said tougher sanctions are still to come.

"TRYING TO BREAK OUR MORALE"

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers on Wednesday that rebuilding after Maduro leaves office would be expensive.

 

"The day and week after is going to be a long process," Pompeo said. "I've seen estimates between $6 (billion) and $12 billion to repair" the economy, he said.

 

The Trump administration has asked Congress for up to $500 million in foreign aid to help "support a democratic transition in Venezuela," Pompeo said in written testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

At the White House, Rosales, Guaido's wife, told Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that food shortages in Venezuela were hurting children.

 

"They are trying to break our morale. They want to submerge us in eternal darkness. But let me tell you that there is light, and the light is here," said Rosales, a 26-year-old journalist and opposition activist.

 

Guaido was attacked on Tuesday, she told Trump. Upon leaving a National Assembly session, individuals threw stones at the vehicle Guaido was travelling in and tried to open its doors, according to a Reuters witness.

 

"I fear for my husband's life," said Rosales, who was accompanied by the wife and sister of Roberto Marrero, Guaido's chief of staff, who was arrested and detained last week.

 

Rosales is slated to meet U.S. first lady Melania Trump in Palm Beach on Thursday on a swing through South Florida, home to the largest community of Venezuelan exiles in the United States.

 

Rosales also plans to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and members of the Venezuelan diaspora at a prominent Washington think tank.

Pence praised Rosales for being "courageous." "Our message very simply is: We're with you," Pence said.

 

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Steve Holland; additional reporting by Brian Ellsworth in Caracas, Michelle Nichols in New York, Andrey Ostrokh in Moscow, and Roberta Rampton, Doina Chiacu and Makini Brice in Washington; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-28

[quandow]

Why aren't China, Russia and the US fighting so much over Cameroon? Oh yeah, oil.

[Puchaiyank]

Venezuela will take it's place in University text books as to how to completely destroy a country's vibrant economy and impoverish it's people through a moronic self-serving dictatorship and socialist policies...  

 

Feel sorry for the people of Venezuela...US is looking at another Syria scenario by not going in sooner to restore a responsible governing body there...now Russia & China have thrown in with Maduro...the plot thickens...????  

[sanemax]

7 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Venezuela will take it's place in University text books as to how to completely destroy a country's vibrant economy and impoverish it's people through a moronic self-serving dictatorship and socialist policies...  

 

Feel sorry for the people of Venezuela...US is looking at another Syria scenario by not going in sooner to restore a responsible governing body there...now Russia & China have thrown in with Maduro...the plot thickens...????  

Rather like Zimbabwe 

[smedly]

8 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Venezuela will take it's place in University text books as to how to completely destroy a country's vibrant economy and impoverish it's people through a moronic self-serving dictatorship and socialist policies...  

 

Feel sorry for the people of Venezuela...US is looking at another Syria scenario by not going in sooner to restore a responsible governing body there...now Russia & China have thrown in with Maduro...the plot thickens...????  

exactly - the wealth went somewhere but not to the people - there are some very rich leaders and ex leaders plus all their admins/supporters that robbed the people blind for decades

[Tug]

ok Donald lead not fold

[Thunder26]

I don't think Russians will be listening much what Trump has to say.

[ezzra]

Trumpy mate, don't wait for the Russkies to do as you have asked, send a battalion of crack Marines to Colombia and position them on the border with Venezuela and then ask Putin to remove his soldiers...

[longtom]

Venezuela will take it's place in University text books as to how to completely destroy a country's vibrant economy and impoverish it's people through a moronic self-serving dictatorship and socialist policies...  
 
Feel sorry for the people of Venezuela...US is looking at another Syria scenario by not going in sooner to restore a responsible governing body there...now Russia & China have thrown in with Maduro...the plot thickens...[emoji15]  

Of course the US sanctions have absolutely nothing to do with that.

Sent from my crappy device using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[ThaiFelix]

1 hour ago, Thunder26 said:

I don't think Russians will be listening much what Trump has to say.

Nobody else does do they?

[car720]

I believe that all options are on the table when China tells Trump to get out of S.E. Asia. 

[klauskunkel]

Asked how he would make Russian forces leave, Trump said: "Twitter. I will twitter and twitter and twitter, until they leave. My twitter-finger is itching."

[usviphotography]

2 hours ago, Thunder26 said:

I don't think Russians will be listening much what Trump has to say.

Russia has sadly concluded that the US is simply not "agreement capable". Trump was pretty much the last hope the world had that the US could re-enter the international community and it just hasn't worked out and he'll be gone in less than six years now anyway so even if Trump could free himself of his Neocon handlers enough to make a deal, what value would it hold for Russia or anyone else if the Neocons would simply tear it up once the next administration enters office. Russia, like the rest of the world, has to wait until either the American People rise up and overthrow the Neocons or just wait until America collapses. 

 

The most important and overlooked problem in the world today is finding a capable successor to Putin. He has spoiled us these past two decades and if Russia slips back in to chaos after his eventual death/retirement it could be the end of us all given who is in control in the West. 

[Pedrogaz]

The UN treaty is incorporated into US law. There are only two reasons for which any UN member may send troops to another country: firstly, the UN security council requests military action and secondly, that the country requests troops be sent from a member country.

In Syria the US is breaking both US and UN law with its troops in Syria. Russia has been requested to help by the legitimate and UN recognised government and so is there legally.

In Venezuela, the UN recognised government of Maduro has requested Russian support and therefore they are there legally. It would be illegal for the US to undertake any military action there. The naming of Guido as president is simply a ruse to get around a law and has no legal backing as the UN recognises Maduro as the legitimate president, as it does Assad in Syria.

There is absolutely no provision in the UN charter for nations to regime change when they feel like it, or because a country will not do their bidding. Attempted regime change by the US and NATO are simply bullying by a nation too powerful to punish.

There is no legal basis for Trump's call for Russia to vacate are Venezuela. As the lovely Maria Zakharove points out, Trump's call is pure hypocrisy.

Once again Putin has trumped, Trump with his quick decisive action.

 

Now to this gem:

6 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Venezuela will take it's place in University text books as to how to completely destroy a country's vibrant economy and impoverish it's people through a moronic self-serving dictatorship and socialist policies...  

 

Feel sorry for the people of Venezuela...US is looking at another Syria scenario by not going in sooner to restore a responsible governing body there...now Russia & China have thrown in with Maduro...the plot thickens...????  

 

This vibrant economy you are talking about....have you ever been to Venezuela? Clearly not. When you drive up from the airport to Caracas you see the mountainsides littered with hovels....these are called the barrios and it is in this type of housing where are large plurality of Venezuelans live. When you get into the centre of Caracas you see an airport filled with the private jets of the rich and connected. The vibrant economy applied only to the 1% of the society not the 99%. Did Chavez and Maduro abused their power? Undoubtedly, as every powerful person abused the power they acquire. It would be helpful if you didn't make fatuous political point scoring points about situations you know nothing at all about.

 

Any thinking person would ask themselves how is Maduro still in power when Venezuela is under sanctions and is flat broke? The answer is that he has considerable support in the country, otherwise he would have been ousted long before this. This again is the same as Syria....Assad is very popular with the 99% otherwise after all that has been thrown at Syria he would be ousted. Think again, where did 95% the people from Aleppo elect to go when they were liberated? They went to the safety (perceived) safety of Assad in the government controlled areas. 

 

[ThaiBunny]

7 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

The UN treaty is incorporated into US law. There are only two reasons for which any UN member may send troops to another country: firstly, the UN security council requests military action and secondly, that the country requests troops be sent from a member country.

As a principle it certainly worked well when Dubya had his troops invade Iraq

[Kelsall]

Trump means business.  For the first time in a long long time we have a president with some cojones.

[Puchaiyank]

6 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

As a principle it certainly worked well when Dubya had his troops invade Iraq

 

15 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

The UN treaty is incorporated into US law. There are only two reasons for which any UN member may send troops to another country: firstly, the UN security council requests military action and secondly, that the country requests troops be sent from a member country.

In Syria the US is breaking both US and UN law with its troops in Syria. Russia has been requested to help by the legitimate and UN recognised government and so is there legally.

In Venezuela, the UN recognised government of Maduro has requested Russian support and therefore they are there legally. It would be illegal for the US to undertake any military action there. The naming of Guido as president is simply a ruse to get around a law and has no legal backing as the UN recognises Maduro as the legitimate president, as it does Assad in Syria.

There is absolutely no provision in the UN charter for nations to regime change when they feel like it, or because a country will not do their bidding. Attempted regime change by the US and NATO are simply bullying by a nation too powerful to punish.

There is no legal basis for Trump's call for Russia to vacate are Venezuela. As the lovely Maria Zakharove points out, Trump's call is pure hypocrisy.

Once again Putin has trumped, Trump with his quick decisive action.

 

Now to this gem:

 

This vibrant economy you are talking about....have you ever been to Venezuela? Clearly not. When you drive up from the airport to Caracas you see the mountainsides littered with hovels....these are called the barrios and it is in this type of housing where are large plurality of Venezuelans live. When you get into the centre of Caracas you see an airport filled with the private jets of the rich and connected. The vibrant economy applied only to the 1% of the society not the 99%. Did Chavez and Maduro abused their power? Undoubtedly, as every powerful person abused the power they acquire. It would be helpful if you didn't make fatuous political point scoring points about situations you know nothing at all about.

 

Any thinking person would ask themselves how is Maduro still in power when Venezuela is under sanctions and is flat broke? The answer is that he has considerable support in the country, otherwise he would have been ousted long before this. This again is the same as Syria....Assad is very popular with the 99% otherwise after all that has been thrown at Syria he would be ousted. Think again, where did 95% the people from Aleppo elect to go when they were liberated? They went to the safety (perceived) safety of Assad in the government controlled areas. 

 

You sir are naive to think what the UN says or wants will stop the US from entering this country...

 

Furthermore, you should read the following article and others like it before claiming a superior position based on first hand knowledge. 

 

How Venezuela went from the richest economy in South America to the brink of financial ruin | The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/how-venezuela-went-from-the-richest-economy-in-south-america-to-the-brink-of-financial-ruin-a7740616.html

[milwaukeeboy]

US are not the police of the world.

They need to stop meddling everywhere.

[Mavideol]

7 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Venezuela will take it's place in University text books as to how to completely destroy a country's vibrant economy and impoverish it's people through a moronic self-serving dictatorship and socialist policies...  

 

Feel sorry for the people of Venezuela...US is looking at another Syria scenario by not going in sooner to restore a responsible governing body there...now Russia & China have thrown in with Maduro...the plot thickens...????  

feel sorry for people of Venezuela, Crimea, Donbass Ukraine, Syria and a couple more that fall for the Vlad rhetoric ... he has China's backing and the US sanctions don't appear to have any effect on his finances

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, quandow said:

Why aren't China, Russia and the US fighting so much over Cameroon? Oh yeah, oil.

Russia is the world's second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia.

I don't think Putin is interested in Venezuela oil other than to see Venezuela sell more of it.

Moscow has money at stake. It has sunk significant amounts into backing Maduro, much of that in loans it stands to lose if he is forced from office. Maduro also has been a major buyer of Russian military hardware. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47087875

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, Thunder26 said:

I don't think Russians will be listening much what Trump has to say.

he lost all credibility, and had insult to injury by recognizing Golan Heights as part of Israel...  nobody is listening to him anymore

[billd766]

2 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Trump means business.  For the first time in a long long time we have a president with some cojones.

Trump may have some cojones but it is a pity that he does not have the brain cells to go with them.

[Galactus]

none of US s business if Russia sent some soldiers there. I believe they did the right thing.

It is fine when US supports the opposition there with its economic weapons and sanctions and all those threats.

and it is bad when Russia send some soldiers? 

This means US is directly putting its dirty hands on the internal safaris of a sovereign country! which is against international laws.

US for decades seen South America as its backyard and gave lots of problems to that region, say it coups to assassinations and more.

 

11 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Venezuela will take it's place in University text books as to how to completely destroy a country's vibrant economy and impoverish it's people through a moronic self-serving dictatorship and socialist policies...  

 

Feel sorry for the people of Venezuela...US is looking at another Syria scenario by not going in sooner to restore a responsible governing body there...now Russia & China have thrown in with Maduro...the plot thickens...????  

sounds like they brainwashed you and made you believe what they want you to believe.

Trump is attacking Venezuela as it is one of the rare countries in South America refusing to be the backyard of US.

hence all those economic problems and sh   it over Venezuela.

[skytrooper70]

8 hours ago, ezzra said:

Trumpy mate, don't wait for the Russkies to do as you have asked, send a battalion of crack Marines to Colombia and position them on the border with Venezuela and then ask Putin to remove his soldiers...

Nice of you to offer the possible sacrifice of US Marines to defend what, exactly? Why not let Russia spend its scarce resources to bail out Venezuela (Pompeo said it would cost $6-12 billion to fix it). US s/b tired of defending everyone else, by now.

[xylophone]

12 minutes ago, elmrfudd said:

But but he is controlled by putin....... Or so the narrative is.

I don't think that too many really believed that nonsense, but trump is dumber then a bag of rocks, so not hard for Putin to have the upper hand in just about everything..........trouble is trump thinks he is smart, but doesn't know how thick he really is, and that's the danger.

[ExpatOilWorker]

8 hours ago, longtom said:

Of course the US sanctions have absolutely nothing to do with that.

Sent from my crappy device using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

That is correct. The economy in Venezuela was already in free fall before Obama imposed the first sanction on Venezuela on March 9, 2015.

 

 

[Baerboxer]

9 hours ago, longtom said:

Of course the US sanctions have absolutely nothing to do with that.

Sent from my crappy device using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

Of course the honest Venezuelan "socialist" leaders were creating a paradise in which all were equal, happy and well looked after until those sanctions!

 

So you believe Maduro when he says, over and over, there are no shortages, no food supply problems, no medical supplier issues etc etc etc.

 

Yeah, we'll keep the red flag flying for you!

[heybruce]

4 hours ago, Galactus said:

none of US s business if Russia sent some soldiers there. I believe they did the right thing.

It is fine when US supports the opposition there with its economic weapons and sanctions and all those threats.

and it is bad when Russia send some soldiers? 

This means US is directly putting its dirty hands on the internal safaris of a sovereign country! which is against international laws.

US for decades seen South America as its backyard and gave lots of problems to that region, say it coups to assassinations and more.

 

sounds like they brainwashed you and made you believe what they want you to believe.

Trump is attacking Venezuela as it is one of the rare countries in South America refusing to be the backyard of US.

hence all those economic problems and sh   it over Venezuela.

"internal safaris of a sovereign nation"?

 

What South American countries are allowing themselves to "be the backyard of the US."?  What does that mean?

[heybruce]

To all those who've been asleep this century and haven't noticed what has been going on in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya:

 

Winning the war is the easy part.  Winning the peace is the hard part.  It takes a long term (many years or decades) commitment to maintaining the peace and rebuilding both the country's infrastructure, economy and institutions, while enduring attacks and accusations of empire building.

 

This is called nation building.  Does anyone think Trump has the brains or foresight to pull it off?  Do any of you calling for military intervention want the US to make the commitment in lives and money to pull it off?

[metisdead]

Off topic posts, troll posts and the replies have been removed.