Posted on 02/08/2019 9:50:20 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is holding direct communications with members of Venezuela’s military urging them to abandon President Nicolas Maduro and is also preparing new sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on him, a senior White House official said.
The Trump administration expects further military defections from Maduro’s side, the official told Reuters in an interview, despite only a few senior officers having done so since opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president last month, earning the recognition of the United States and dozens of other countries.
“We believe these to be those first couple pebbles before we start really seeing bigger rocks rolling down the hill,” the official said this week, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We’re still having conversations with members of the former Maduro regime, with military members, although those conversations are very, very limited.”
The official declined to provide details on the discussions or the level at which they are being held, and it was unclear whether such contacts could create cracks in the Venezuelan socialist leader’s support from the military, which is pivotal to his grip on power.
With the Venezuelan military still apparently loyal to Maduro, a source in Washington close to the opposition expressed doubts whether the Trump administration has laid enough groundwork to spur a wider mutiny in the ranks where many officers are suspected of benefiting from corruption and drug trafficking.
Members of the South American country’s security forces fear they or their families could be targeted by Maduro if they defect, so the U.S. would need to offer them something that could outweigh those concerns, said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas think tank in Washington.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Since everytime we play with a turd we wind up with crap on our fingers, I have an idea.
Howzabout we build the damned wall. That way, maybe just ONCE we can avoid the refugee wave we get from everywhere we have a war. Koreans, Vietnamese, Iraqis, Afghans, Somalis, Salvadorans, it’s ridiculous.
“forces fear they or their families could be targeted by Maduro if they defect, so the U.S. would need to offer them something that could outweigh those concerns,”
Hold onto your wallets. BOHICA
Now might be a good time for those in the VZ military to choose sides. If they choose right and act fast they may have a chance.
al Reuters doing what turncoats always do.
They are the enemy.
We’re trying to effect change for the Venezuelan people who are starving, and al Reuters releases confidential information to stop us.
Venezuela has done the right legal thing, replacing Maduro. It needs our support to make sure the changes are honored.
Whatever we offer them now, the Democrats will renege on in the future.
Just send in a D-Track Team and kill the SOB.
Why don’t we butt out of this. The people of Venezuela elected Chavez then Maduro setting in motion this socialistic time bomb. It’s not a surprise that Maduro rigged the elections and is now a dictator. This is what happens when the people elect socialists and is the very people who are suffering the most who caused this. They are getting the government they deserve. It’s their responsibilty to fix it not ours. This is none of our business. The USA getting involved will make a crappy situation worse.
“Make ‘em an offer they can’t refuse”!!!!
OPEC is
D
E
A
D
This is a very dangerous game. It was the people of Venezuela who were absolutely in love with Hugo Chavez. They reelected his Marxist efforts. Maduro was his hand picked successor.
And just how many times has the US asked nationals to risk their lives for regime change on the premise of US backing and protection only to end up dead, usually due to the wicked desire of Democrats to leverage political points. Recall what happened to our ally the South Vietnamese leader Under Kennedy. Or Gaddafi under Obama.
Personally I would never entrust my life or that of my family’s to the very checkered history of what this country says. Life is very cheap to any Democrat needing it to leverage political power in the US.
Didn’t see your post when I posted #11.
Wall? To stop Koreans? WTH are you talking about?
He’s right a sizable percentage of those crossing our border are not from countries to the south - many are mainland Chinese.
I would bet Venezuela is a beehive of CIA activity right now. Probably has three shifts of spooks running around dimly lit basements and abandoned warehouses helping dress the stage for what we all know is coming.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.