US weighs responsibility to protect Venezuelans amid new protests

A new round of protests pitted Venezuelan civilians against unofficial security forces loyal to strongman Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, drawing fresh warnings from U.S. officials.

“All eyes are on you today,” President Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, tweeted in a message directed at Venezuelan defense minister Vladimir Padrino. “Hold the Venezuelan military to its Constitutional responsibility to protect innocent civilians who are peacefully demonstrating. Do not let the Cubans or the ‘colectivos’ inflict violence against Venezuelan patriots.”