US Secretary of Defence slammed Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday as an "irresponsible despot" who will "have to go."
"Ultimately this regime is going to have to go," Mattis said at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, though he did not suggest the United States would play any role in its removal.
Mattis instead placed responsibility on the Venezuelan people and Latin American states to "help expedite" the end of Maduro's rule "and bring that country back to a more prosperous and positive future."
"I think what we should do is work by, with and through our Latin American allies as we stabilize this situation," he added.
The South American country has become increasingly isolated amid international criticism of the Maduro regime and an exodus of millions of Venezuelans into neighbouring countries.
The US last year called Maduro a dictator and placed him on a blacklist of leaders that includes Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, after he claimed victory in an election widely condemned as a power grab.
GMT 06:52 2017 Thursday ,05 October
Former Intel chief Paul Otellini diesGMT 10:51 2017 Thursday ,30 March
Sordid Details of Moroccan Parliamentarian’s DeathGMT 22:29 2017 Friday ,10 February
Venezuela’s opposition tries to unite against MaduroGMT 20:54 2017 Friday ,10 February
Peru says wanted expresident likely in U.S., may flee to IsraelGMT 14:46 2016 Tuesday ,07 June
Hillary Clinton clinches democratic presidential nominationMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor