Trump says Venezuelan president’s days are numbered

ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump signaled that his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro's days are numbered as tensions escalate with an American military presence building up in the Caribbean.

During an interview with CBS News' 60 Minutes that aired Sunday, Trump was asked by host Norah O’Donnell whether Maduro's days as president were numbered.

"I would say yeah. I think so," he responded, while rejecting the possibility of going to war against Venezuela.

However, Trump declined to say whether the issue of potential land strikes in Venezuela is true or not.

"I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that," he said, without providing further details.

Trump on Friday also denied media reports that strikes on military installations inside Venezuela could be imminent, telling reporters he did not make a decision on the matter.

Several US media outlets reported that the Trump administration had decided to carry out strikes on military installations in Venezuela as part of its alleged war against “narco-terrorism” and that the attacks could come at any moment.

Washington has accused Maduro of leading the Cartel de los Soles, a criminal group based in the South American country. In July this year, Washington designated it as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organization.

At least 14 strikes have been carried out since early September, mostly in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific, killing more than 64 people.

Rights groups and legal experts have questioned the legality of the operations, arguing that US strikes on alleged drug boats violate international law.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk called the attacks “unacceptable” and urged an independent investigation into what his office described as extrajudicial killings.

Maduro accused Washington of fabricating a war against his country, calling the US allegations “vulgar” and “totally fake.” He insisted that Venezuela “does not produce cocaine leaves” and said US military movements near its coast signal plans for “a new, eternal war.”