US Secretary of State Tillerson Calls for "Peaceful Change in Venezuela" Latin American Herald Tribune February 1, 2018
AUSTIN -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said today that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump wants a "peaceful change" in Venezuela.
"We have not defended a change of regime, but a return to the constitutional path," he said at the University of Texas before starting his first tour of Latin America.
"We want it to be a peaceful change," Tillerson added, answering a student's question.
Tillerson delivered a speech today at the University of Austin, designed to publicly set the priorities of the Trump administration's policy in the Western Hemisphere before its Latin American tour.
"If the kitchen gets too hot" for Venezuela's Maduro "I am sure that he's got some friends over in Cuba that could give him a nice hacienda on the beach," Tillerson said, while stressing that he was not calling for Regime Change in Venezuela but adding that what "would be easiest is if Maduro chooses to leave."
One of the main objectives of this trip to Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Jamaica is, according to senior officials of the State Department this week, to increase pressure on Maduro.
"We will continue to press the regime to return to the democratic process," Tillerson said.
The United States has imposed several rounds of sanctions on 50 senior officials from the Maduro government including President Maduro and Vice President Tareck El Aissami.
The four Latin American countries that will visit Tillerson during seven days are those that have a harder position against the Venezuelan government in the region and participate in the Group of Lima focused on restoring Venezuela to democracy.
"The great tragedy of Venezuela is that, although it could be one of the most prosperous countries in the region, it is one of the poorest, " Tillerson said. "There has not been any natural disaster, its citizens suffer because a corrupt regime robs its people."
"In the history of Venezuela and South American countries, it is often times that the military is the agent of change when things are so bad and the leadership can no longer serve the people," said Tillerson. "Whether that will be the case here or not, I do not know."
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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Outlines US Policy for the Western Hemisphere (VIDEO) Latin American Herald Tribune February 1, 2017
Secretary Tillerson outlines the Administration’s Western Hemisphere policy priorities in an address at the University of Texas at Austin.
After giving this speech in Austin, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Mexico City, Mexico; Bariloche and Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Perú; Bogotá, Colombia; and Kingston, Jamaica on February 1-7.
The Secretary will "engage with regional partners to promote a safe, prosperous, energy secure, and democratic hemisphere."
"Throughout his travel, Secretary Tillerson will advocate for increased regional attention to the crisis in Venezuela," says the State Department.
After giving this speech outlining the Administration’s Western Hemisphere policy priorities at an address at the University of Texas at Austin, Secretary Tillerson will travel to Mexico City on February 1, where he will meet with President Enrique Peña Nieto, Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray, and other senior Mexican officials to discuss the U.S.-Mexico partnership on a range of bilateral, regional, and global priorities.
On February 3, Secretary Tillerson will travel to Bariloche, where he will discuss scientific exchanges and conservation practices at the Nahuel Haupi National Park. He will then travel to Buenos Aires to meet with President Mauricio Macri and Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie to discuss our bilateral economic growth agenda and security cooperation.
In Lima on February 5-6, Secretary Tillerson will meet with President Kuczynski and Foreign Minister Cayetana Aljovín to discuss our bilateral and regional partnership and issues including preparations for a successful Summit of the Americas.
The Secretary will travel to Bogotá on February 6, where he will meet with President Juan Manuel Santos, Foreign Minister María Ángela Holguín, and other senior Colombian officials to discuss matters of importance including U.S. support for Colombia’s efforts to address the surge in coca cultivation and cocaine production, economic issues, and the growing refugee population.
Secretary Tillerson will wrap up his travel in Kingston on February 7. He will meet with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson-Smith to discuss bilateral and regional security, energy efforts, and Jamaica’s successful economic reform efforts.
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