A senior official of the Trump administration told Voz de America that the United States will begin a new stage of pressure against the Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro.
«Until now we have had a policy of interest for our officials and specific objectives. I think it’s fair to say that this era is over, a new era of impactful and decisive measures is what we are studying now, «he said.
The United States rejected the presidential election that took Nicolás Maduro in power on May 20, 2018, and went ahead as president on Thursday, January 10.
#LoDijo Funcionario de #EEUU: Una nueva etapa de acciones «decisivas» contra el gobierno de #Venezuela. Más detalles: https://t.co/I7O0g7gjcN@VOANoticiaspic.twitter.com/Mk032m2G92
— Jorge Agobian (@JorgeAgobian) 9 de enero de 2019
The official said that these new measures will be announced in the coming weeks and months, and will seek to «ensure that the regime does not have resources to oppress the Venezuelan people and to exacerbate the refugee crisis.»
He clarified that these actions are a series of «diplomatic, political and economic tools», and that all sectors related to the Venezuelan government are under consideration, including the oil industry.
A «military option» is not within those considerations, the high official responded to VOA. However, when asked about the request made by US senators to consider Venezuela as a sponsoring country for terrorism, he replied that it is an option that «is on the table.»
In Caracas, the Venezuelan government calls the US sanctions «interventionist» and argues that Washington is managing a «coup d’état» to overthrow President Maduro.
Disappointed with Mexico
On the decision of Mexico, the only country of the Lima Group that did not accompany a joint declaration of ignorance to President Maduro, the official called it «disappointing».
«The United States and Mexico have points of agreement and disagreement, and that is one in which we strongly disagree,» he said.
This article was originally published in my Spanish version website.