US Congress rules out military action in Venezuela

By Vakkas Dogantekin

ANKARA (AA) – The U.S. Congress will not support American military intervention in Venezuela, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Wednesday.

Slamming President Donald Trump's hints in favor of a military action in Venezuela, where volatility reigns, congressman Eliot Engel ruled out approval for a military option.

“I do worry about the president’s saber rattling, his hints that U.S. military intervention remains an option. I want to make clear to our witnesses and to anyone else watching: U.S. military intervention is not an option,” Engel said at a hearing in Congress.

Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10 when President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Tensions rose when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself acting president on Jan. 23 -- a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

Russia, Turkey, China, Iran, Bolivia and Mexico have put their weight behind Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.