{"id":34967,"date":"2019-01-29T16:15:49","date_gmt":"2019-01-29T16:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/29\/pentagon-quiet-on-venezuela-options\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:25:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:25:01","slug":"pentagon-quiet-on-venezuela-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/01\/29\/pentagon-quiet-on-venezuela-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon quiet on Venezuela options"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A day after National Security Adviser John Bolton flashed a notebook suggesting 5,000 U.S. forces could be dispatched to respond to the internal crisis in Venezuela<\/a>, the Pentagon was mum on whether or not that was a real option under consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters in a briefing Tuesday that the Pentagon was monitoring the evolving upheaval <\/a>in Venezuela that has boiled for months and led to severe food shortages, skyrocketing inflation and rioting. It came to a head last week when Juan Gaido, president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, declared the presidency of current leader Nicolas Maduro illegitimate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S., U.K., Brazil, Colombia and Canada have backed Gaido; however Russia, Turkey and China have vocalized their support for Maduro and Venezuela\u2019s military leadership still backs Maduro. In response to President Donald Trump recognizing Gaido as Venezuela\u2019s legitimate leader, Maduro ordered all U.S. diplomats to depart the country, which the U.S. refused to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National security adviser John Bolton holds his notes during a press briefing at the White House, Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in Washington. (Evan Vucci\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Typically in a potential overseas crisis, the State Department would request evacuation support, either from DoD or contracted support. As of Monday evening, when a photo emerged of Bolton carrying a notebook that read \u201c5,000 troops to Colombia,\u201d no request had been received. It was not clear if it was possible DoD would amass troops in neighboring Colombia to respond, or if Bolton had purposefully carried the notebook to send a message to Maduro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are supporting. We\u2019re monitoring the situation very carefully, and we\u2019re watching,\u201d Shanahan said. \u201cAnd we\u2019re working very much in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t