Regime Change in Venezuela Good News for US Economy Due to Oil Reserves; Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar
USA – Republican US Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida said in a Fox News interview that regime change in Venezuela would be very good news for American economy, pointing out that the country possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
Salazar, outlining what she described as economic, security and political grounds for US engagement, said: “Venezuela for the American oil companies will be a field day because it will be more than a trillion dollars in economic activity.”
“American companies can go in and fix the oil rigs and everything that has to do with the Venezuelan petroleum companies, with oil and the derivatives,” she added.
The Republican noted that Venezuela holds the world’s largest oil reserves, “more than Saudi Arabia,” saying this would be “a windfall for us when it comes to fossil fuels.”
Salazar said that the White House’s decision to classify Maduro’s government as a foreign terrorist organization effectively places the Venezuelan leader “right in the crosshairs,” adding: “We can take him out, we can extradite him, or we can go in and try and finish his regime.”
“This is a number one goal for this administration from an economic standpoint.”
She said that Venezuela has served as “the launching pad, the hub for our enemies, the Iranians, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Cubans, the Nicaraguans, people that hate the United States and want to do harm to us.”
Salazar also argued that Maduro is the head of the “Suns Cartel (Cartel de los Soles), which is one of the transnational criminal organizations. He has been indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking.”
The US on Monday formally designated the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).
The US has for months been expanding military operations across Latin America, deploying Marines, warships, fighter and bomber jets, submarines, and drones amid speculation that the US could launch an attack on the Latin American nation, though US President Donald Trump said last week that he would soon speak with Maduro.
