"We had in our hemisphere a regime operated by an indicted narco-trafficker that became a base of operation for virtually every competitor, adversary and enemy in the world," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the U.S. policy toward Venezuela on Wednesday. "It was an enormous strategic risk for the United States." https://cbsn.ws/45vOHaA | CBS News

Secretary Rubio: The foreign policy of the United States is conducted by President Donald J. Trump — not by a court — and no court in the United States has a right to conduct the foreign policy of the United States. It's that simple. End of story. | U.S. Department of State

Even as diplomatic engagement between Guyana and the United States intensifies over Venezuela, political commentator and academic Dr Mark Kirton is urging restraint, warning that any sense of relief must be carefully tempered by continued vigilance. Speaking in the wake of a high-level call between President Dr Irfaan Ali and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Kirton said Guyana should adopt what he described as a “muted celebration” of recent developments, cautioning that Venezuela’s long-stand