'OK with me': Trump says he would launch strikes on Mexico to tackle drug issue; open to speak with Venezuela's Maduro

Amid the United States carrying out strikes on boats allegedly ferrying drugs in the Caribbean and the Pacific, President Donald Trump on Monday said that he was okay with launching strikes in Mexico to stop drugs.

Trump commented at the Oval Office in the White House while responding to a question about a possible counter-drug operation in Mexico.

"Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? It's OK with me. Whatever we have to do to stop drugs," remarked the President.

However, Trump was quick to clarify that he didn't say he was doing it (launching strikes). “I'd be proud to do it. Because we're going to save millions of lives by doing it.”

Trump to speak to Nicolas Maduro

Meanwhile, the President said that he will also talk to Nicolas Maduro, adding that the Venezuelan President "has not been good to the United States."

The remark gains significance amid Washington's military buildup stoking tensions as the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford has been deployed in the Caribbean to tackle drug traffickers based in Latin American countries.

Trump also did not rule out deployment of US troops on the ground in Venezuela. “No, I don't rule out that, I don't rule out anything.”

"We just have to take care of Venezuela," he added. “They dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country from prisons.”

Ready to talk ‘face to face’

In a weekly television show, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that he was ready to talk ‘face to face’ with anyone in the United States ‘who wants to talk to Venezuela.’

Washington has accused Maduro of leading a ‘terrorist’ drug cartel, a charge he has denied.

Whereas, Venezuela has accused Washington of seeking regime change in Caracas with its military build-up.

Washington has significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean, since August, including half a dozen warships.

So far, the US has carried out over 20 strikes.

Last month, six people were killed, whereas three people died in US forces strikes on alleged drug-running boats earlier this week, bringing the campaign's total number of deaths to 83.

Volker Türk, the chief of UN human rights, has called for an investigation into the strikes.

Türk believes that the airstrikes by the United States of America on boats in the Caribbean and in the Pacific violate international human rights law.

The Trump administration has insisted that the buildup of American forces in the region is focused on stopping flow of drugs into the US.