Interview with Senator Bernie Moreno: Maduro will leave Venezuela 'dead or alive'

Bernie Moreno assured that Nicolás Maduro will have to leave Venezuela "dead or alive." The Ohio senator spoke to Karina Yapor on Voz News, where he assured that the United States will no longer tolerate the entry of drugs that kill its citizens. At the same time, he defined Maduro not as the leader of a country, but as a "criminal" and "narco-terrorist."

Moreno, who joined the Senate in January after defeating Democrat Sherrod Brown, began by responding to earlier comments by Maduro, who claimed that the senator sent him secret messages of admiration.

"Drug traffickers should never use his product. And what is obviously happening is that Maduro is using a lot of cocaine instead of selling it," he began. "This is a crazy gentleman. I have no idea what he is talking about, I have never sent him a message, nor do I have any idea how to do it. But look, I'm going to send him a message right now. You have to make a decision: leave Venezuela alive or leave Venezuela dead," he continued.

Right after that, the senator with Colombian roots told the Venezuelan military to get Maduro off their backs. "They have a prize, $50 million. That is more than what is offered by any terrorist in the world. They have to, the military, know what is good for the people. They have to have pride in their own country. This gentleman is not good for Venezuela. He is not good for the Americas. He is someone who is a disaster. Get this man out and there will be peace in Venezuela," he continued.

Yapor also asked Moreno about Gustavo Petro, the president of Colombia, who recently criticized the U.S. attack on a drug boat from Venezuela.

"That's how you deal with terrorists. And that's the beginning of what's going to happen. We're not going to tolerate these drugs coming into the United States, and that boat, if it came into the United States, kills Americans. President Trump saved the lives of Americans by doing what he did, the attack against this ship. That's not just the beginning, it's going to be a hell of a lot more. If you want to bring drugs into the United States, that's the least that's going to happen to you," he responded.

He also referred to the assassination of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe, whose funeral he attended weeks ago: "I believe that Colombia's best days are in the future, not in the past. I believe Colombia is ready to move forward. I spoke with Miguel Uribe's family. We went to the funeral. Miguel's father... I have a lot of confidence in Colombia's institutions and the people of Colombia."

Finally, he referred to the threat posed by China and emphasized the need for more agreements and business with Latin American countries.