GEOFF BENNETT: Brazil's president said# today that his country is willing to help## prevent an armed confrontation# between the U.S.

and Venezuela.

The remarks come one day after the# Trump administration announced it## would block sanctioned oil tankers# traveling to and from Venezuela and## after weeks of escalating pressure# on the government of Nicolas Maduro.

Last night, we heard from a critic of# the Trump administration's approach,## tonight, a different perspective.

Jimmy Story spent 25 years in# the U.S.

State Department and## most recently served as ambassador to the# Venezuela Affairs Unit based in neighboring## Colombia.

He now works as a partner# at an international consulting firm.

Thanks for being with us.

JAMES STORY, Former U.S.

Ambassador for the# Venezuela Affairs Unit: It.. be here, Geoff.

Thanks for having.. GEOFF BENNETT: You spent years on the ground# dealing with Venezuela.

From your vantage point.. how significant a turning point is this# moment in U.S.

policy toward Maduro?

JAMES STORY: Well, this is a significant moment.

And, particularly, the interdiction# of the ship, The Skipper,## who was falsely flying the flag of Guyana, is# a big move, because the Maduro dictatorship,## Maduro regime lives off of exporting oil# on the black market to certain markets## internationally.

So this is going to have# a chilling effect on both legitimate and## illegitimate traffic, something I advocated# for, frankly, for quite a number of years.

I think this is within international legal norms,## and certainly it was something that will# have a big impact on the Maduro regime.

GEOFF BENNETT: So walk us through# precisely why you think stopping## the sale of Venezuelan oil will lead# ultimately to the downfall of the regime.

JAMES STORY: Well, part of this is, we got to go# back to July of last year, when Nicolas Maduro## lost an election that was neither free nor fair,# but an election that he allowed to go forward,## not with a candidate that won the primary# of the opposition, Maria Corina Machado,## nor with her selected replacement, but with# her second choice, who was Edmundo Gonzalez.

They weren't anticipating that the Venezuelan# people would come out in droves and overwhelmingly## vote him out of office.

And he's just# refused to leave office.

So he remains## in office because he's supported by people who# are making money through various methodologies.## Narcotics trafficking is one of them.

Of# course, gold smuggling would be another.

And, finally, it's the export of oil, particularly# in the black market to certain markets in Asia,## that gives him the money that he needs to# pay off certain generals in his employ.

So## this will have a big impact on his# ability to pay to stay in power.

GEOFF BENNETT: What about the president's talk# of taking back Venezuelan oil?

Doesn't that hand## Maduro a ready-made narrative that the U.S.# is motivated by resources, not by democracy?

JAMES STORY: When I think about the issue# of Venezuela, the resource issue is like## number five or six on the list of reasons.# They are a failed state that provides safe## haven for foreign terrorist organizations such# as the FARC-D, the ELN, Hezbollah and others.

They allow the Russians to undermine# democracies across the region by## using Venezuela as a launching pad for# their online platforms.

They forced out## 25 percent of the population of Venezuela.

Some# nine million Venezuelans have left that country.

They're under indictment for narcotics# trafficking.

They're under indictment in the## International Criminal Court for crimes# against humanity.

So I was surprised that## the president focused on this piece of it,# when there's so many other issues to focus on.

GEOFF BENNETT: How should the administration# strike the right balance between pressuring## the regime without worsening conditions# on the ground for ordinary Venezuelans?

JAMES STORY: As a former diplomat, as a# retired ambassador, I fully believe in## the art of diplomacy and the art of the# possible when it comes to negotiations.

I think that framing needs to start with# Maduro's departure and then frame out,## well, how do you build a robust democracy# in a country where the institutions of state## have been undermined for so long?

But I# think our focus really needs to be on,## let's support what the Venezuelan people# have requested, getting an election.

Let's work on transitional government# and transitional justice.

And then how## can the international community come together to## make certain that democracy takes place# and stays in power there in Venezuela?

GEOFF BENNETT: So, with this Trump pressure# campaign, what does success actually look## like?

And how will we know that we haven't# traded one form of instability for another?

JAMES STORY: Well, one of the key indicators, are# people -- will people still be leaving Venezuela## or will they start to return?

Are people having# access to food and medicine, the things that## they were denied under a very corrupt, very# cruel criminal enterprise there in Caracas?

And, also, to what extent is Venezuela# presenting itself as a threat to its## neighbors, neighbors such as Trinidad# and Tobago, neighbors such as Guyana,## and even with Colombia, where they# share a very long, very unstable border,## where criminal organizations regularly# cross back and forth between the two?

So I think those are the kinds of things I'd# be looking at up front.

And then, finally,## I'd say what the role of the military is.# I think we learned a lesson in Iraq with## de-Baathification .

There are some bad actors# in the military, the Cartel of the Suns.

Some## of them are involved in that.

Others have# been involved with crimes against humanity.

To what extent, though, can the military be# brought in to this experiment or this process## of reinstitutionalizing the country?# I think that's going to be very key.

GEOFF BENNETT: Jimmy Story, thanks so# much for your insights.

We appreciate it.

JAMES STORY: Geoff, it's a pleasure# to be with you all.

Thank you.