Trump says U.S. prepared to take further action in Venezuela Speaking at dinner with Latin America leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trump says democracy must be restored ‘very, very soon.’

President Donald Trump said Monday that the “growing crisis” in Venezuela was unacceptable and that the U.S. was ready to take further action to ensure democracy was restored in the Latin American nation.

“The Venezuelan people are starving. … ” Trump said, speaking at a dinner with leaders from the region on the sideline of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. “The country is collapsing, their democratic institutions are being destroyed.”


Trump called the situation “totally unacceptable.”

The president laid blame at the feet of Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, who he said was propelling the nation’s collapse and destroying its democratic pillars. He said the United States had to “take important steps to hold the regime accountable.”

“We’re prepared to take further action if the government of Venezuela persists,” Trump said.

Last month, Trump raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela if the situation did not improve, in remarks that were initially met with alarm there. He didn’t mention military action in his comments to Latin American leaders Monday, and didn’t specify what additional action he would take. The U.S. has already applied stiff sanctions on the country, one of the world’s top oil producers.

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Trump said a transition back to democratic norms needed to “happen very, very soon.”

Monday’s dinner included President Michel Temer of Brazil, President Jose Manuel Santos of Colombia, President Juan Carlos Varela of Panama and Vice President Gabriela Michetti of Argentina, along with other officials and diplomats from the region.

