US ramps up pressure on Venezuela with sanctions, harsh warnings

The United States cranked up the pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday, imposing sanctions on his wife and more of his inner circle and issuing harsh warnings about his vulnerability to an overthrow.

President Donald Trump said the "repressive regime" in Caracas that is responsible for a "human tragedy" in the once oil-rich nation "could be toppled very quickly by the military if the military decides to do that." But he declined to talk about possible US military options.

"I don't like to talk about military.... I'm not going to tell," Trump said during a meeting with the president of Venezuela's neighbor Colombia, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

The issue is even more sensitive given a New York Times report this month saying Trump administration officials had met three times with Venezuelan military officers to discuss plans to oust Maduro but the plans stalled.

"Currently we are witnessing the human tragedy" in Venezuela, Trump told world leaders gathered at the United Nations. "More than two million people have fled the anguish inflicted by the socialist Maduro regime and its Cuban sponsors."
"The Venezuelan leadership needs to know that actions have consequences," Freeland said. "And all of us need to continue to let the people of Venezuela know that they have our support."
Treasury said the sanctions could be lifted if the officials "take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order, refuse to take part in human rights abuses, speak out against abuses committed by the government, and combat corruption in Venezuela."