The US military is prepared to "protect" US personnel and diplomatic facilities in Venezuela if needed, the admiral in charge of American forces in South America says.
A recent handout picture released by the Venezuelan presidency showing Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C) attending a military ceremony. Photo: AFP
Navy Admiral Craig Faller, the head of US Southern Command, made the comment during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
He did not provide any details on how the US military might respond.
Venezuela's collapse under President Nicolas Maduro, with the country plunged into poverty and driving some 3 million people to flee abroad, has forced nations worldwide to take a stance, particularly after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself president last month.
Major European Union nations have joined the United States, Canada and a group of Latin American countries in recognising Guaido as interim ruler.
Craig Faller claimed Venezuela had about 2000 generals and the majority of them were loyal to Maduro because of the wealth they have amassed from drug trafficking, petroleum revenue and business revenue.
Still, he said, rank-and-file soldiers were starving "just like the population" of Venezuela.
"The legitimate government of President Guaido has offered amnesty, and a place for the military forces, most of which we think would be loyal to the Constitution, not to a dictator, a place to go," Faller said.
He added that the Venezuelan military was degraded.
- Reuters
* This story was edited inappropriately and has been corrected. RNZ is concerned and takes this matter extremely seriously. We are investigating and have taken appropriate action.
A previous version contained this sentence: Venezuela's collapse under US sanctions and the rule of socialist President Nicolas Maduro, with the country plunged into poverty and driving some 3 million people to flee abroad, has led to further US intervention in backing opposition leader Juan Guaido after he declared himself president last month.
This has been replaced with the copy supplied by Reuters: Venezuela's collapse under President Nicolas Maduro, with the country plunged into poverty and driving some 3 million people to flee abroad, has forced nations worldwide to take a stance, particularly after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself president last month.