MIKE POMPEO/TRUMP PEOPLE/VENEZUELA: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday [1-23-19] formally recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the legitimate ‘interim president’ of the strife-ridden country, while U.S. officials urged the regime led by Nicolas Maduro to peacefully give up power. A senior Trump administration official warned that ‘all options are on the table’ when it comes to further punishing Maduro and his top aides. The official did not rule out U.S. military action, which Trump himself has floated before. Maduro responded by saying he is breaking off diplomatic and political relations with the United States and giving U.S. diplomats 72 hours to leave the South American nation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo replied that the U.S. no longer recognized Maduro’s authority to make such decisions or demands, indicating U.S. diplomats will stay put. Trump’s announcement came shortly after Guaidó, who leads Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself as the country’s interim president on Wednesday. The move came the same day hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans staged protests against Maduro.”
–Nahal Toosi, “Trump recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader as interim president,” Politico, January 23, 2019 8:04 pm