Rubio calls ‘status quo’ with Venezuela ‘intolerable’ as Trump admin sanctions Maduro family members
By Jennifer Hansler, CNN
(CNN) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decried the “status quo” with the Maduro government as “intolerable” as the Trump administration on Friday announced new sanctions on family members of the embattled Venezuelan leader.
For months, the administration has carried out a campaign of deadly military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific and mounting economic pressure against Caracas as part of what they have described as a war against drug trafficking. They have resisted saying that they are actively seeking regime change in Venezuela but have accused President Nicolas Maduro of being illegitimate and a narco-trafficker.
On Friday, Rubio doubled down on those accusations.
“It is clear that the current status quo with the current Venezuelan regime is intolerable for the United States,” Rubio said Friday when asked about comments from the White House chief of staff that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle.”
“The status quo that they operate and cooperate with terrorist organizations against the national interest of the United States – not just cooperate, but partner with and participate in activities that threaten the national interest of the United States,” Rubio said at a press conference.
“So yes, our goal is to change that dynamic and that’s why the president is doing what he’s doing,” he said.
“No one can argue that transnational criminality and terrorism in our hemisphere is not a threat to the national interest of the United States,” he said. “We reserve the right and have the right to utilize every element of national power to defend the national interest of the United States.”
US military forces have carried out scores of deadly military strikes against alleged drug vessels, killing over 100 people. Those strikes have come under extreme scrutiny by members of Congress. In an interview with NBC Friday, President Donald Trump did not rule out war with Venezuela. Earlier this week, the US president announced a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving from Venezuela. He has repeatedly threatened land strikes in the country. Neither Trump nor Rubio has committed to informing Congress ahead of time about that potential act of war.
On Friday, the Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Maduro’s family members – the second round against his relatives in as many weeks.
Officials have argued that their campaign of punitive financial tactics and controversial and deadly military strikes is to stop drug trafficking, not necessarily to oust the regime in Caracas.
Last week, the administration hit three of Maduro’s nephews with sanctions, including the two so-called “narco nephews” who were granted clemency in October 2022 as part of a prisoner swap for Americans detained in Venezuela. The third nephew, Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, was sanctioned for being a member of the Venezuelan government.
The latest round of sanctions target Maduro’s sister-in-law and other relatives of Malpica Flores.
“Maduro and his cronies have devastated Venezuela’s economy and continue to threaten our region’s stability,” State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. “The Trump Administration is committed to disrupting the network of individuals who prop up Maduro and his regime.”
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