Sen. Lindsey Graham wants to know why the U.S. has not sent an aircraft carrier to respond to the crisis in Venezuela.
“Cuba, Russia send troops to prop Maduro up in Venezuela…….while we talk/sanction,” the South Carolina Republican tweeted Friday morning. “Where is our aircraft carrier?”
Cuba, Russia send troops to prop Maduro up in Venezuela…….while we talk/sanction.
Where is our aircraft carrier?
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 3, 2019
According to a spokesperson for Graham, the tweet was designed to express support for a “show of force.”
Graham’s tweet comes after national security adviser John Bolton claimed that between 20,000 to 25,000 Cuban troops were in Venezuela. He cited the number as he claimed he feared the Cuban troops were preventing Venezuelan troops from backing opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who requested the public and military force out Venezuela strongman Nicolás Maduro.
[Read: US military prepping for Guaidó takeover in Venezuela]
The U.S. and other allies issued support for Guaidó earlier this year, but the U.S. claims that Cuba and Russia are backing Maduro.
President Trump has threatened to impose a “full and complete embargo” and high-level sanctions if Cuba doesn’t halt in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Cuba’s Director General of U.S. Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío told the Associated Press Wednesday there were no Cuban troops in Venezuela and “Cuba does not participate in military operations nor in security operations in Venezuela.”
Russia claims that it has only deployed “military specialists” to Venezuela to assist with existing contracts.
Bolton said earlier this week that “all options,” including military intervention, are on the table regarding how to handle the crisis in Venezuela. However, he noted that Trump wants a “peaceful” transition of power.
