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Sending military to Venezuela over lingering political crisis ‘an option,’ Trump says

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The political crisis in Venezuela seems to be taking different dimensions as the minutes go by with the US President Donald Trump revealing the likely implementation of force should the unrest linger in the South American country.

According to Trump, sending the military to Venezuela was “an option” and that he had turned down President Nicolas Maduro’s request for a meeting.

“Certainly it’s something that’s on the – it’s an option,” Trump said in an interview broadcast on Sunday on the CBS “Face the Nation” programme. “Well [Nicolas Maduro] has requested a meeting and I have turned it down because we’re very far along in the process.”

The threat comes after the Us called on Venezuela’s military to join forces with an air force general who sided opposition leader Juan Guaido against President Nicolas Maduro.

Read also: Trump out to kill me, Venezuela’s Maduro claims

The call was made by a top White House official on Saturday, who said Venezuela’s military should follow the lead of the air force general to protect peaceful protesters supporting democracy.

“The US calls on all military members to follow General Yanez’s lead, and to protect the peaceful protestors supporting democracy,” National Security Advisor John Bolton said in a tweet.

General Francisco Yanez (a member of the air force’s high command) had said in a video that he had disavowed President Maduro, and also called on other members of the military to defect.

He also reportedly claimed that 90 percent of the armed forces no longer support embattled leader Maduro.

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