By Ayushi Agarwal
Washington, DC [US], January 6 : Former US National Security Advisor (NSA) John Bolton has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump's approach towards Venezuela, warning that the policy risks producing contradictory outcomes and undermining meaningful political change despite recent dramatic developments, including the capture of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
In an interview with ANI, Bolton cautioned, "That's just going to lead to the worst of both possible worlds," as he aimed at what he described as incoherent decision-making in Trump's handling of Venezuela.
Bolton said, "It's in the interest of the US for important reasons to remove the Maduro regime, but as it becomes increasingly clear, he has left the rest of the regime in place."
He added that Trump's recent positions have sent conflicting signals and weakened the prospects for substantive political change in the country.
Referring specifically to Trump's stance on Venezuela's opposition leadership, Bolton said, "Trump has attacked Maria Carina Machado, the leader of the democratic opposition and Nobel Peace Prize winner, and said he wants to work with Delcy Rodriguez, the Venezuelan vice president and a key supporter of Maduro."
Bolton further questioned the rationale behind the policy direction, stating, "It's a policy that really has no logical basis, and it reflects Trump's very confused decision-making."
Expanding on Trump's broader strategic approach, including the use of sanctions and oil production as leverage, Bolton said, "If we had used enough economic power against Venezuela and the Maduro regime back in Trump's first term, the regime might have fallen in."
He suggested that stronger and more consistent economic pressure earlier could have produced a different outcome.
Bolton also pointed to Trump's personal priorities influencing policy choices, saying, "Trump has a fascination with tangible things that he can understand and grasp."
He added that energy considerations now play a central role in Trump's calculations, noting, "The oil issue in Venezuela is obviously important to him politically in the US now because he wants to keep the price of gasoline at the pump as low as possible."
Bolton's remarks come in the aftermath of major developments on the ground. On January 3, Washington carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike against Venezuela," during which deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and taken out of the country.
Maduro and Flores were detained in Caracas and flown out in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement.
Following the operation, Trump said that Maduro and his wife had been indicted on charges of alleged "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies" in the Southern District of New York and would face trial.
Earlier on Monday, Maduro pleaded "not guilty" to multiple federal charges during his first court appearance in New York City after being brought to the United States following his capture by the US military.
During the proceedings, Maduro questioned the legality of his arrest, claiming he was detained at his residence in Caracas. The remarks signalled what is expected to form a central plank of his legal defence, namely that his arrest by US law enforcement on foreign soil amounted to an unlawful operation, as reported by CNN.
Maduro's legal team has described the arrest as a "military abduction," arguing that the late-night operation violated international law and due process protections.