US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, saying it would be “smart” for him to leave power amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump suggested that the ongoing US actions against Venezuela could ultimately force Maduro from office, though he said the decision rested with the Venezuelan president. “That’s up to him what he wants to do,” Trump said. “I think it’d be smart for him to do that. But again, we’re going to find out.”
Trump warned that continued defiance from Maduro would carry serious consequences, adding that if the Venezuelan leader “plays tough,” it could be the last time he does so.
The remarks come amid a stepped-up US pressure campaign that has included an increased military presence in the region and a series of military strikes targeting vessels accused of drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near Venezuela. According to reports, more than 100 people have been killed in the attacks.
As part of the strategy, Trump has also announced a “total and complete” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. Over the weekend, the US Coast Guard pursued an oil tanker in international waters near the country — the second such operation in days and the third in less than two weeks if completed.
Trump said the United States could either keep or sell the oil seized during these operations, noting that it might also be used to replenish America’s strategic petroleum reserves. “Maybe we will sell it, maybe we will keep it,” he said.
During the same press conference, Trump criticised Colombian President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of being hostile to US interests and linking Colombia to cocaine trafficking into the United States. “He’s no friend to the United States. He’s very bad. Very bad guy. He’s gotta watch his ass because he makes cocaine and they send it into the US,” Trump said regarding Petro. The comments follow a year of strained relations between the two leaders.
In response, Maduro rejected Trump’s comments without directly naming him, saying global leaders should focus on their own domestic challenges. Referring to a phone call with Trump last month, Maduro said: “Each country should mind its own internal affairs.”
The latest exchange underscores rising diplomatic and military tensions in the region, with Venezuela once again at the centre of a hardline US foreign policy approach under Trump’s administration.
Melissa Enoch
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