When asked about the possibility of a land invasion of Venezuela, Saab told the BBC’s Newshour programme that “it shouldn’t happen, but we are prepared”.
He added that Venezuela was “still ready to resume dialogue” with the US, despite its “illegitimate” fight against drug trafficking.
The US is among many nations that do not recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, after the last election in 2024 was widely dismissed as neither free nor fair. Opposition tallies from polling stations showed its candidate had won by a landslide.
But Saab said the US wanted regime change in Venezuela, accusing it of hoping to seize the country’s natural resources, including reserves of gold, oil and copper.
US Congress members on both sides of the political aisle have raised concerns over the legality of Trump’s strikes on boats and his authority to order them.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters on Sunday that future land strikes were a “real possibility”, and that Trump told him he plans to brief members of Congress on future military operations when he got back from Asia.
