Rubio’s Stance on Venezuela Takes a New Turn
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently conducted a joint news conference with Ecuador’s Foreign Minister, Gabriela Sommerfeld. The harrowing focus of conversation was the fatal attack on a vessel that U.S. officials have identified as being involved in drug trafficking from Venezuela. This move indicates a significant turn in the dealings between the two nations. For the past 25 years, Rubio’s political career has, in large part, been centered on exerting increasing strain on Venezuela.
As the leading diplomat under the presidency of Donald Trump, Rubio has frequently pictured Venezuela as a remaining outpost of communist thinking within the Western Hemisphere. The former senator of Florida has been unrelenting in his advocacy for the displacement of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. His approach to the issue has mainly been to support economic sanctions and even promote the idea of U.S. military interference.
Throughout his pre-administration career, Rubio demonstrated an inclination towards a more proactive approach typical of a subset of the Republican Party. This often contrasted with Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed ‘America First’ principles. Regardless, Rubio’s stance towards Venezuela has been resolute. He has always favored stronger measures against the erstwhile Chavez administration and its successor under Maduro.
Rubio’s critical views of communism have earned him favor among the Venezuelan diaspora. ‘He now perceives a chance to further a notably aggressive U.S. strategy towards Latin America’, remarked Geoff Ramsey, an expert analyst on Venezuela from the Atlantic Council.
Following his defeat to Trump in the 2016 Republican primary and Trump’s subsequent inauguration in 2017, Rubio transitioned to the role of a quiet consultant. He led the charge in implementing sanctions against top Venezuelan personnel implicated in human rights violations and drug trafficking activities.
In 2019, as the Venezuelan authorities moved to suppress civil unrest and an opposition leader called for international intervention, Rubio made a series of posts on Twitter. He shared a collection of comparative images of overthrown leaders such as Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi, killed by opposition forces in 2011, and Panama’s Manuel Noriega who was removed from power in a U.S. offensive in 1989.
The United States is among several nations that do not acknowledge Maduro as the rightful president of Venezuela. There is valid supporting evidence that suggests Maduro did not legitimately win the previous year’s elections.
The bounty for Maduro’s capture has noticeably increased following his indictment in the Manhattan federal court in 2020. The charges levied against him include narcoterrorism and conspiracy to smuggle cocaine. In response, the U.S. government announced a reward of $15 million for any information leading to his arrest.
Later, the reward offering was raised to $25 million by the Biden administration. Interestingly, this sum matches the figure offered for the apprehension of notorious terrorist Osama bin Laden. Under the Trump administration, this figure was subsequently increased to $50 million.
The widespread insinuation is that Rubio has been the main instigator behind the U.S.’s strategic maritime buildup in the region prior to this week’s combat actions. This belief is shared by none other than Maduro himself, who regards Rubio as the chief orchestrator of the mobilization.