'5,000 troops to Colombia' note raises tensions between US and Venezuela

US National Security Adviser John Bolton holds a writing pad with a note that reads "5,000 troops to Colombia"
REUTERS
David Gardner29 January 2019

Tensions between the United States and Venezuela rose today after Washington’s national security adviser was spotted carrying a note pad with “5,000 troops to Colombia” written on it.

John Bolton’s notes were flagged up by reporters on social media following a press briefing on new sanctions against Venezuela.

The words will fuel speculation that the US is preparing to use at least the threat of a military invasion to force embattled president Nicolas Maduro from power. Colombia is a US ally and shares a 1,300-mile border with Venezuela.

The White House has not ruled out the use of force if Mr Maduro refuses to cede power to opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognised by the US as the crisis-hit country’s rightful leader.

Asked to comment on Mr Bolton’s note, a White House spokesman replied: “As the president has said, all options are on the table.”

John Bolton holds the pad of note paper as he waits to address reporters
REUTERS

However, a US official was quoted as saying that there were no plans for a troop deployment to the region.

It comes after Mr Bolton warned Maduro on Sunday that violence against US diplomatic personnel or Mr Guaido would prompt a “significant response” from America.

In a bid to turn the heat up on Maduro, the White House moved to block all US revenue to the crisis-torn South American country’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA.

Revenue from Citgo, the US-based subsidiary of PDVSA which imports Venezuela’s heavy crude oil and refines and distributes it in America, provides much of the cash income currently available to Maduro.

The sanctions effectively freeze $7 billion in Venezuelan assets and blocks more than $11 billion in revenue over the next year.

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Mr Bolton also urged Venezuela’s military to accept a peaceful transfer of power and switch allegiance to Mr Guaido, the leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly.

“We have continued to expose the corruption of Maduro and his cronies, and today’s action ensures they can no longer loot the assets of the Venezuelan people,” said Mr Bolton.

US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said proceeds from America’s oil imports from Venezuela would be withheld from the disputed Maduro regime in “blocked accounts”, but the company could avoid the crippling sanctions if it recognised Mr Guaido.

He said the oil was a “valuable asset that we are protecting for the Venezuelan people.”

The US efforts to squeeze Mr Maduro were attacked by the Venezuelan leader as an attempted “coup”.

“Never before was there an open coup attempt led from Washington. Today John Bolton asked for a coup, a desperate blow,” he said in Caracas.

“John Bolton is offending Venezuelan soldiers. He offends international rights. There’s no limit to the extremist group that took over the White House. They’re like the Ku Klux Klan,” he added.

The Maduro government is now likely to look towards backers like Russia, China and Turkey to buy more of its oil.

Mr Guaido insisted in an interview with CNN that the US sanctions were made to protect Venezuela’s assets abroad. He said he had spoken to US President Donald Trump and other leaders in the region.

He said the sanctions were intended to ensure that Maduro’s government “doesn’t continue robbing the people of Venezuela”.

The move came after the Bank of England faced demands that it should refuse to release £1 billion of gold to Mr Maduro.

Mr Guaido, who has declared himself Venezuela’s rightful leader following allegations that Maduro was only elected because his strongest opponents were barred from the vote, has written to the Bank’s governor Mark Carney and to Prime Minister Theresa May asking them not to hand over the gold.

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