US President Donald Trump on Friday mentioned Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro had supplied main concessions to keep away from confrontation with Washington. Trump's feedback got here amid a major US navy presence within the Caribbean, which Washington says targets drug cartels linked to Venezuela. Earlier this week, B-52 bombers circled the Caribbean off Venezuela's coast, whereas seven US Navy ships have been deployed as a part of counter-narcotics operations. The build-up has raised fears in Caracas that the US could also be looking for regime change.
On Thursday, US forces struck a suspected drug-carrying submarine, leaving a number of folks alive — the primary survivors for the reason that Trump administration started navy strikes within the area final month. “We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine constructed particularly for the transportation of huge quantities of medicine,” Trump mentioned whereas internet hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio didn't dispute the presence of survivors however mentioned extra particulars could be launched later. The strike introduced the loss of life toll from the administration's Caribbean operations to no less than 28 and is believed to be the sixth strike off Venezuela since early September. The survivors are reportedly being held on a US Navy vessel.
