The Trump Administration has ruled out any military action on Venezuela in near future as the US slapped "strong" financial sanctions on the dictatorship in Latin American country.
"In terms of contingency planning and trying to envision what might trigger us to bringing to the President options -- we always look at a broad range of contingencies and how this might evolve in the future," the US National Security Advisor, Lt. Gen. H R McMaster told reporters at a White House news conference.
"But, obviously, any decision would be in conjunction with our partners in the region, and no military actions are anticipated in the near future. What the President asked us to do is, he said look how this could evolve in the future, and provide a broad range, as we always do, integrated options for the President," McMaster said in response to a question after the Trump government imposed financial sanctions on Venezuela yesterday.
The US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the executive order signed by Trump demonstrates the US government's condemnation of tyranny and dictatorship in Venezuela.
"The Maduro regime has consistently shown hostility to the rule of law, democratic institutions, and the Venezuelan people," he said.
"This has been a catastrophe for the country. Nicolas Maduro has financed his regime by hollowing out Venezuela through economic mismanagement, corruption, and the assumption of onerous debt," he added.
McMaster said the executive order strongly punishes the Venezuelan regime. "This order demonstrates more clearly than ever that the United States will not allow an illegitimate dictatorship to take hold in the Western Hemisphere at the expense of its people," he asserted.
"Through the President's strong action, the United States will target the means with which the Maduro dictatorship can accumulate debt to enrich its corrupt regime insiders and perpetuate its repressive behaviour," he said.
Only six weeks ago, several million Venezuelans voted overwhelmingly against the Maduro regime's plans to convene a constituent assembly that the people of Venezuela never requested.
The United States and the regional community stood in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and demanded that their voices be heard, he added.
"But Maduro chose to embrace dictatorship over his own people. As a result, a dozen of Venezuela's neighbours gathered in Lima, Peru, and rejected Maduro's actions. President Trump promised strong action if Maduro moved ahead and ignored his people's will. With today's announcement, the President is keeping his promise of strong action and continuing to show strong leadership," McMaster said.
"This executive order does not need to be permanent. The President has said that "a stable and peaceful Venezuela is in the best interest of the entire hemisphere. "We will continue to work with our friends and partners in the international community to support the Venezuelan people until their rights and democracy are fully restored," he said.
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