Trump's envoy for Venezuela dismissed US military action there during a Russian prank call
Associated Press 19m
WASHINGTON (AP) — The US envoy for Venezuela dismissed the possibility of American military action in the South American country in a recording made by two Russian pranksters and released Wednesday.
Special Representative Elliott Abrams said in the recording that the US wouldn't use force in Venezuela unless the government did something "completely crazy" like attack the American Embassy.
But Abrams, who apparently believed he was speaking with a Swiss official, said the US seeks to "make the Venezuelan military nervous" by not publicly ruling out military action to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
"We think it is a mistake tactically to give them endless reassurances that there will never be American military action," he said. "But I can tell you this is not what we are doing. What we are doing is exactly what you see, financial pressure, economic pressure, diplomatic pressure."
More:
https://www.businessinsider.com/us-envoy-dismisses-military-force-in-venezuela-in-prank-call-2019-3
LBN:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142281447