AUSTIN: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson raised the prospect on Thursday that the Venezuelan military could decide to oust President Nicolas Maduro, but said he did not know whether that would happen.

In a speech at the University of Texas ahead of a five-nation Latin American tour, Tillerson insisted the Trump administration was not advocating “regime change” in Venezuela, but said it would be “easiest” if Maduro chose to leave power on his own.

Tillerson predicted there would be change of some kind in Venezuela and said the United States, which has had steadily worsening relations with the country’s Socialist government, wanted it to be a peaceful one.

Maduro, whose approval ratings are low amid a collapsing economy, runaway inflation and rising malnutrition in the oil-producing country, is seeking re-election in a vote that must be held by the end of April.

“We have not advocated for regime change or removal of President Maduro. We have advocated that they return to the constitution,” Tillerson said when asked during a question-and-answer session whether the removal of Maduro was necessary or the United States would play a role in it.

He then suggested the possibility, however, that internal forces might take action, although he offered no evidence the United States had intelligence backing the notion that the military might turn against Maduro.

“In the history of Venezuela and in fact the history in other Latin American and South American countries, often times, it is the military that handles that,” Tillerson said.

Reuters