WSJ: Rubio Leads US Push To Remove Maduro With Force, Sanctions

By Staff, Agencies

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading a major escalation in Washington's campaign to remove the Venezuelan leader from power, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The effort, launched under the guise of a counternarcotics operation, has evolved into a wider strategy that blends sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and an expanding military presence across the Caribbean, the report detailed.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a former Florida senator, now serves as both President Donald Trump's national security advisor and top diplomat, granting him sweeping authority over US policy toward Latin America.

Officials told the Journal that the goal is twofold: to halt alleged narcotics flows into the United States and to send a clear signal to Maduro that "he can no longer remain in power."

Trump has tasked Rubio, Chief of Staff Wiles, Deputy Chief Miller, and Attorney General Bondi to lead the effort against Maduro. Bondi recently raised the US bounty on Maduro to $50 million, calling him a "narco-terrorist" whose reign is ending.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told the newspaper, "The President is the one who drives and determines our foreign policy. It is the job of the cabinet to implement. Secretary Rubio is honored to be a part of the President's team."

The US has intensified operations in the Caribbean, conducting strikes on drug vessels and deploying Navy destroyers, special forces, and B-52 bombers near Venezuela, described by officials as a "show of force."

This campaign, officials said, targets curbing migration, disrupting narcotics, and "defending the homeland," but analysts suggest it also seeks to topple Maduro and regain control over Venezuela's energy sector.

Rubio's leadership marks a shift from earlier diplomacy. While Former envoy Ric Grenell proposed reopening Venezuela's oil sector for reforms, Rubio has focused on tighter sanctions, prisoner swaps, and increased military pressure.

Maduro has condemned the US campaign as imperial aggression, warning that any attack on Venezuela would spark a regional response. He called for Latin America to unite and accused the US at the UN of violating international law and committing "extrajudicial killings" in the Caribbean.

Addressing Trump directly last month, Maduro said, "President Donald Trump, you must be careful because Marco Rubio wants to stain your hands with blood."