Peaceful solution to Venezuela crisis is possible - U.S. VP Pence

 

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos greets U.S. Vice President Mike Pence after his arrival in Cartagena, Colombia August 13, 2017. Colombian Presidency/Handout via REUTERS

 

(Reuters) - A peaceful solution to unrest and political turmoil in Venezuela is possible, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Sunday, after President Donald Trump threatened military action and sparked condemnation around the region.

 

Trump's surprise comments on Friday that military intervention in Venezuela was an option brought condemnation from Peru, Mexico and Colombia, usually some of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's toughest critics.

 

"We have many options for Venezuela, but the President also remains confident that working with all of our allies across Latin America we can achieve a peaceable solution," Pence said in Cartagena, Colombia, where he is kicking off a trip to several Latin American countries.

 

"We will continue to stand with free nations across our hemisphere until democracy is restored for the Venezuelan people," Pence said, striking a more conciliatory tone than Trump.

 

A military intervention should not even be contemplated, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said during the joint press conference with Pence.

 

However, the two leaders did discuss possible further sanctions against the socialist country, Pence said.

 

"President Santos and I discussed in some detail additional measures that could be taken to further pressure the regime in Venezuela economically," he said. The U.S. is "looking at a full range of additional economic sanctions," Pence added.

 

Trump's comments may be a political lifeline for the unpopular Maduro, who has long used the threat of U.S. aggression to justify policies that have shredded the economy.

 

More than 120 Venezuelans have been killed in unrest since April, as the economy collapses deeper into a recession compounded by triple-digit inflation as well as food and medicine shortages.

 

(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Chris Reese and Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-14

"Trump's comments may be a political lifeline for the unpopular Maduro, who has long used the threat of U.S. aggression to justify policies that have shredded the economy."

Go Trump!

A peaceful solution to unrest and political turmoil in Venezuela is very likely if the US doesn't decide to intervene militarily. Nobody else has suggested military intervention.

Sanctions never worked for Cuba so what makes anyone think they are going to work for Venezuela 

 

Just cut off all imports of Oil and any other goods from there as well as travel by government officials

 

Also cut off any money flow in US dollars through our Central Banking system

 

This is severe but they will feel it 

"Peaceful solution to Venezuela crisis is possible - US VP Pence".

 

Of course it is, it's very simple: just stop threatening everybody and their uncle with war, Donald! And can someone also take his cell phone away from him so he can not go on Twitter any more, please!

8 hours ago, halloween said:

Nobody else has suggested military intervention.

President Donald Trump threatened military action

Trump can initiate unilateral military action against the Venezuela regime for up to 90 days before having congressional approval. So it becomes important that while officials of his administration can deny military options against Venezuela, Trump's words do matter the most.