INTERVIEW – FRED FLEITZ – President and CEO of the Center for Security Policy and former Deputy Assistant to President Trump and Chief of Staff to National Security Adviser John Bolton – discussed the situation in Venezuela.

• BIO: Fred Fleitz is President and CEO of the Center for Security Policy. He recently served as a Deputy Assistant to President Trump and Chief of Staff to National Security Adviser John Bolton. He previously worked in national security positions for 25 years with CIA, DIA, the Department of State and the House Intelligence Committee staff.
• US State Dept. has ordered non-emergency US government employees to depart Venezuela, and advises that “U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Venezuela should strongly consider departing Venezuela … while commercial flights are available.” Maduro says Venezuela is breaking relations with US, gives American diplomats 72 hours to leave country.
• Venezuela Military Backs Maduro, as Russia Warns U.S. Not to Intervene. (NY Times) — CARACAS, Venezuela — The embattled government of Venezuela struck back against its opponents on Thursday, winning strong support from the country’s armed forces and the solid backing of Russia, which warned the United States not to intervene.  The events put Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, at the center of a Cold War-style showdown between Russia, an ally that has shored up his government with billions of dollars, and the United States, which has denounced him as a corrupt autocrat with no legitimacy. The Trump administration pressed its case on Thursday, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on all countries in the hemisphere to reject Mr. Maduro and “align themselves with democracy,” setting up a test of wills with the Kremlin. Only a day before, Mr. Maduro’s political nemesis, the opposition leader Juan Guaidó, seemed to have the momentum. During nationwide protests against the government, he proclaimed himself the country’s rightful president, earning endorsements from President Trump and several governments in the region. But on Thursday, it was Mr. Maduro’s turn to put Mr. Guaidó on defense. In a televised news conference, the leader of Venezuela’s armed forces declared loyalty to Mr. Maduro and said the opposition’s effort to replace him amounted to an attempted coup.
• Bloomberg: Maduro’s Fall Would Be a Defeat for Putin, Too. Russia risks losing billions invested in propping up the Venezuelan regime.