U.S. President Donald Trump, in an interview aired on Sunday, stated that he believes the days of Nicolás Maduro as the ruler of Venezuela are "numbered," though he downplayed fears of an imminent war with the South American country.
In an interview with the CBS program "60 Minutes," Trump was asked if the United States would go to war with Venezuela. "I don't think so," he declared.
However, when asked if Maduro's days as president were numbered, Trump replied: "I would say yes."
The U.S. president's remarks come at a time of high tension in the Caribbean, where the United States has deployed military personnel and vessels for anti-narcotics operations.
According to an AFP report, these operations have resulted in multiple attacks on suspected drug trafficking vessels, causing "dozens of deaths."
Maduro, who is accused of drug trafficking in the United States, has claimed that Washington uses drug trafficking as a pretext to "impose a regime change" in Caracas and seize Venezuelan oil.
According to the news agency, more than 15 U.S. attacks on vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific have killed at least 65 people in recent weeks, with the most recent one occurring this Saturday.
Experts have stated that these attacks could constitute "extrajudicial executions." Washington has not yet provided any evidence that its targets were trafficking drugs or posed a threat to the United States. "I doubt it," Trump said.
