The Trump administration is ramping up pressure against embattled Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro by directly communicating with members of Venezuela’s military and urging them to desert his regime, as the United States also prepares new sanctions against the Latin American country.
Although only two high-ranking military members have broken with Maduro’s regime to date, the United States believes there will be more defections in the future, a senior official told Reuters. The Trump administration has been a staunch supporter of opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who invoked a constitutional provision and declared himself the country’s interim president last month.
