Trump Downplays War With Venezuela, Says Maduro’s ‘Days Are Numbered’

United States president Donald Trump on Sunday played down concerns of a US war with Venezuela but warned that its leader Nicolas Maduro's days were numbered.The remarks came as the US continues to launch strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean.

Trump was asked during a CBS interview whether the US was going to war against Venezuela, the US president said "I doubt it. I don't think so. But they've been treating us very badly.” However, when asked if Mr. Maduro's days as President were numbered, Mr. Trump replied: "I would say yeah. I think so, yeah."

At least 64 people have been killed by US strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September, BBC reported. The Trump administration, however, claims the strikes are necessary to stop the flow of drugs into the US. 

Maduro, who faces  indictment on drug charges in the US, has accused the Trump administration of using drug trafficking as a pretext for "imposing regime change" in Caracas to seize Venezuelan oil.

Speaking from Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Trump said that "Every single boat that you see that's shot down kills 25,000 on drugs and destroys families all over our country."

On the possibility of strikes on land, the US president asserted that "I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that... I'm not gonna tell you what I'm gonna do with Venezuela, if I was gonna do it or if I wasn't going to do it."

Maduro has previously accused Washington of "fabricating a new war", while Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said the strikes on boats are being used by the US to "dominate" Latin America.