Bolton: ‘All Options Are on the Table’ with Venezuela

In a Friday appearance on “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” National Security advisor John Bolton discussed the situation in Venezuela, saying “all options are on the table” in the transfer of power from dictator Nicolás Maduro to interim President Juan Guaidó.

Host Hugh Hewitt asked if military intervention was “imminent,” to which Bolton replied it was not, adding the aim is for a “peaceful transfer of power.”

“The president said all options are on the table, but our objective is a peaceful transfer of power. And that’s why we’ve been imposing economic sanctions, increasing political pressure from around the world, including from the European Parliament yesterday, for example, hopefully from the countries themselves,” Bolton stated. “Within a day or two, we’re going to see a major series of demonstrations all across Venezuela tomorrow intended to convince the military, among others in Venezuela, that the overwhelming majority of the people of the country want the Maduro regime thrown out. That’s what we hope and expect to do.

“If the U.S. is obliged because of all of the options being on the table to intervene, would it intend to stay long?” Hewitt questioned.

“Well, I don’t really want to speculate. I think this is something that the people of Venezuela really are the focus of,” responded Bolton. “I think what is important is, as you mentioned in your first question, though, is there is overwhelming support among the Latin American countries for the transfer of power away from Maduro. There are a few exceptions – Cuba, Nicaragua, for example, for obvious reasons. But this is not a made in the USA effort. This is a made in Venezuela effort fully supported across the board, all kinds of different governments in Latin America supporting Juan Guaidó, the interim president.”

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