Washington, DC [US], January 6 (ANI): Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has sharply criticised President Donald Trump’s handling of Venezuela, warning that the approach risks producing contradictory outcomes and undermining meaningful political change, even after the dramatic capture of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
In an interview with ANI, Bolton cautioned, “That’s just going to lead to the worst of both possible worlds,” referring to what he described as incoherent decision-making in Trump’s Venezuela policy. He noted, “It’s in the interest of the US for important reasons to remove the Maduro regime, but as it becomes increasingly clear, he has left the rest of the regime in place.”
Bolton highlighted that Trump’s positions have sent conflicting signals and weakened prospects for substantive political change. He specifically criticised Trump’s approach toward Venezuela’s opposition leadership, stating, “Trump has attacked Maria Carina Machado, the leader of the democratic opposition and Nobel Peace Prize winner, and said he wants to work with Delcy Rodriguez, the Venezuelan vice president and a key supporter of Maduro.”
He further questioned the rationale behind Trump’s strategy, calling it a policy “that really has no logical basis” and reflecting “very confused decision-making.” Bolton suggested that stronger, consistent economic pressure earlier in Trump’s first term might have produced a different outcome, saying, “If we had used enough economic power against Venezuela and the Maduro regime back in Trump’s first term, the regime might have fallen in.”
Bolton also noted the influence of Trump’s personal priorities, particularly regarding energy, stating, “The oil issue in Venezuela is obviously important to him politically in the US now because he wants to keep the price of gasoline at the pump as low as possible.”
These remarks come in the wake of Washington’s January 3 “large-scale strike against Venezuela,” during which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas and flown to the US in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and law enforcement. Trump announced that the couple had been indicted on charges of alleged “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies” in the Southern District of New York and would face trial.
On Monday, Maduro pleaded “not guilty” to multiple federal charges during his first court appearance in New York City. He also questioned the legality of his arrest, arguing that his detention at home in Caracas by US forces constituted a “military abduction” and violated international law and due process protections, as reported by CNN.
About The Author
