U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not rule out the possibility of a war with Venezuela, after months of destroying vessels allegedly carrying drugs near the South American country. 'No, I don't rule it out,' the president said in a telephone interview with NBC News conducted on Thursday and released this Friday. On Tuesday, Trump ordered to block the entry and exit of Venezuela for all oil tankers sanctioned by the United States, a week after seizing a ship loaded with crude near the Venezuelan coast. The United States thus increased the pressure on the government of Nicolás Maduro, whom it accuses of leading the Cartel of the Suns, something that Caracas denies, after months of bombings on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific. In the interview, Trump said there will be more oil seizures and, when asked for a timeline, added: 'It depends.' 'He knows it better than anyone,' the president added, who held a telephone call in November with the Venezuelan chavista leader. The U.S. president has several times promised that 'soon' attacks on alleged drug trafficking targets within Venezuelan territory will begin. The fact that Trump does not rule out a war means a significant change, since he campaigned against his country's involvement in foreign conflicts, thus moving away from the traditional position of the Republican Party. His bases have criticized him for focusing too much on foreign policy rather than on internal problems, such as the increase in the cost of living. For the United States to declare war, authorization from Congress is required. 'If they are foolish enough to keep sailing, they will be taken to one of our ports,' the Republican leader said. Trump refused to confirm if the ultimate goal of his strategy with Venezuela is to overthrow Maduro. 'He knows exactly what I want,' Trump replied.
