- Only 11% of Democrats and 23% of independents support the American strike.
- About 43% of Republicans support the policy of American domination.
- Nearly 59% of Republicans support U.S. control of Venezuelan oil.
Washington: One in three Americans approve of the U.S. military attack on Venezuela that toppled the country’s president, and 72 percent fear the United States is getting too involved in the South American country, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll concluded Monday.
The poll, which lasted two days, showed that 65% of Republicans support the military operation ordered by Republican President Donald Trump, compared to 11% of Democrats and 23% of independents.
U.S. forces stormed into Caracas before dawn Saturday in a deadly raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the U.S. military handed over to federal authorities to face prosecution for suspected drug trafficking.
The raid, and Trump’s subsequent declaration that the United States would now “run” Venezuela, marked a sea change for a president who has long criticized other U.S. leaders for foreign interference.
The move comes after his administration indicated it intends to focus primarily on the domestic economy, a top concern for voters ahead of this year’s midterm elections that will determine control of Congress for the final two years of Trump’s term.
Republicans support “mainstream” politics
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted Sunday and Monday, showed significant support among Republicans for a foreign policy that includes exerting influence over neighboring countries.
Some 43 percent of Republicans agree with the statement: “The United States should have a policy of business dominance in the Western Hemisphere,” compared to 19 percent who disagree. The rest said they weren’t sure or didn’t answer the question.
Trump said Saturday that the United States would “run” Venezuela indefinitely and could send ground troops. Pledging to restructure Venezuela’s oil industry, he said Sunday that the United States needs “full access” to the country’s large oil fields.
About 60% of Republicans in the Reuters/Ipsos poll said they favor sending U.S. troops stationed in Venezuela, compared to 30% of Americans overall. Fifty-nine percent of Republicans said they supported the United States taking control of Venezuela’s oil fields.
It remains unclear how Trump plans to keep his promise to lead Venezuela. On Sunday, he appeared to indicate that Washington would control Venezuela by intimidating its leaders rather than actually governing the country.
“If they don’t behave, we will launch a second strike,” Trump said. Whichever line he takes, the Reuters/Ipsos poll shows 65 percent of Republicans support the U.S. government in Venezuela.
Republicans are more divided on their concerns about possible developments in U.S. involvement. Some 54 percent of Republicans said they were concerned the United States was getting too involved in Venezuela.
The same percentage said they were concerned about financial costs, compared to 45% who said they were indifferent. Sixty-four percent of Republicans feared that U.S. involvement would endanger the lives of military personnel in Venezuela.
The poll, of 1,248 U.S. adults nationwide, shows Trump’s approval rating at 42%, the highest since October and up from 39% in a December poll. The poll, conducted online, had a margin of error of about 3 percentage points.
