Marco Rubio posts a revolting and dangerous tweet as tensions with Venezuela rise

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is best know on Twitter for posting inoffensive, out-of-context Bible passages. But in recent days, his account has become particularly inflammatory as he has ramped up his online rhetoric against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

And on Sunday, he took his attacks on Maduro to a new level, posting a threatening tweet showing two images of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi — both during his rule and as he was being killed in the streets by a mob. In the context of his previous tweets, it was a clear warning to Maduro.

Find the tweet below — though, be warned, the image may be disturbing to some readers:

Gaddafi was killed in the streets after a U.S.- and NATO-backed mission helped overthrow his government.

The threat from Rubio is particularly direct given the Trump administration continuing charges that Maduro is illegitimate and suggestions that it is considering using military force against the regime.

Many observers denounced Rubio's brazen provocation:

While Maduro has plunged Venezuela into chaos and is clinging to power despite a highly suspicious election, the Trump administration's stance toward the country lacks any principle. The president treats Saudi Arabia with deep respect and supports some of its military efforts even as it fuels a deadly ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Trump also continues to lavish praise on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, perhaps the most oppressive dictator in the world, while he makes no progress toward denuclearization. The GOP and the administration's blatant hypocrisy on these issues gives the no moral authority upon which to act as credible critics of Venezuela, and their clear desire to interfere in the region is fueling fears of a coming imperialist coup.