Critics of President Donald Trump's administration are alleging that Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged he wouldn't support a Venezuela invasion.
“Rubio said that there were not any intentions to invade Venezuela,” said Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) when speaking to the Washington Post. “He absolutely lied to Congress.”
Washington Post reporter John Hudson pressed Rubio on it, but the former GOP senator rejected that he lied.
Rubio said that Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, was being indicted by the United States and in a U.S. court, the Post reported Saturday.
So, it wasn't a "military" action, Rubio called it a "law enforcement operation" that required the military to assist.
It wasn't an invasion.
“This was not that,” he added.
Democrats disagreed.
“It absolutely is one hundred percent regime change,” said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.).
Smith also recalled questions about whether the military buildup in the Caribbean meant they were preparing for attacks on Venezuelan territory. Rubio promised that was not the case.
Even after Hudson challenged Rubio by throwing Trump's own words out that the U.S. would "run" Venezuela, Rubio refused it was an invasion. "The mission last night was in support of the Department of Justice."
