Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticized the corrupt regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, confirming President Donald Trump is intensifying pressure on the dictator. Rubio told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the Maduro regime is not a legitimate government at all.
Rubio confirmed the regime is actively involved in drug trafficking. He said, "What it is is a transshipment organization. It allows cocaine and other drugs that are produced in Colombia to be trafficked through Venezuelan territory."
The Secretary added that elements of the regime "are allowed to… leave Venezuela on airplanes and ships headed towards the United States." The Trump administration has responded by expanding its military presence and launching counter-drug strikes in the region.
Rubio said that the administration’s actions prove the drug flow is real. "The fact that Maduro is upset about it tells you that drugs are coming out of Venezuela," he said.
The administration is also moving forward with plans to end temporary protected status for 600,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. Rubio accused the regime of "openly" cooperating with drug dealers and fueling massive regional instability.
He warned that "Over 8 million Venezuelans have flooded into neighboring countries as a result of the regime's activities." This chaos is a direct threat to the entire region.
Rubio highlighted the disastrous diplomatic failure of the previous administration. He said a failed deal with Joe Biden saw Maduro release convicted drug traffickers, saying, “They got the nephews back, the drug dealers, he got the bag man back, and he never did the free and fair elections."
Rubio concluded the comparison with a simple, powerful statement: "They suckered Joe Biden. They're not going to sucker Donald Trump."
Despite the difficulty of dealing with a leader who has "broken every deal he's ever made," Trump is willing to keep trying. Rubio said, “The president is prepared to sit down and meet and talk to anybody," but stressed that Maduro must finally keep a deal.