White House claims ‘maximum leverage’ over Venezuela

The Trump administration on Wednesday suggested it has control over Venezuela’s interim leadership after the ouster and capture of its President Nicolás Maduro, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

“The Trump administration, led by Secretary Rubio, the vice president and the president’s entire national security team, is in close correspondence with the interim authorities in Venezuela. We obviously have maximum leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela right now,” Leavitt told reporters in the White House briefing.

Indeed, Leavitt said that any decisions by the interim government will “continue to be dictated by the United States of America.”
The tough talk comes on the heels of what appears to be a rapid recalibration of messaging from Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, a Maduro ally and his former vice president, who at first struck a defiant tone – almost immediately followed by remarks saying she would work with America on what she called an “agenda of cooperation.”

Leavitt said President Trump has been clear that Venezuela will clamp down on no longer sending illegal drugs, unauthorized migrants and criminal cartels into the United States. She added that the interim authorities are in close coordination with the U.S.

And Trump has been clear that if they don’t cooperate, military force remains an option.

“Venezuela, thus far, has been very nice. But it helps to have a force like we have,” Trump said on Sunday. “If they don’t behave, we will do a second strike.”