Washington — President Trump has declared that the United States will “run” Venezuela following the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. This announcement has sparked new discussions regarding the level of U.S. involvement in the South American nation.
During an address from his estate in Mar-a-Lago, Trump revealed limited details about the plans for U.S. governance in Venezuela. Earlier, he had shared on social media that Maduro and Flores were “captured and flown out of the country.” Sources indicate that the operation was executed by the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, an elite special operations unit.
Maduro and Flores were brought to the U.S. to face charges linked to their alleged roles in a conspiracy involving narco-terrorism and the importation of “thousands of tons” of cocaine to the U.S. They arrived at Stewart Airport, located just north of New York City, on Saturday afternoon shortly after their capture.
With Maduro’s ousting, uncertainty looms over who will lead Venezuela moving forward. Trump commented on the challenges facing opposition leader María Corina Machado, suggesting she lacks the necessary support and respect within the country to assume leadership.
The president also noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who Trump claimed has been “sworn in” and is “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.” Contrarily, Rodríguez asserted on state television that Maduro remains the “only president of Venezuela” and demanded his release. Subsequently, she was granted full presidential powers by the Venezuelan Supreme Court and recognized by the military as the acting leader.
The last presidential election in Venezuela took place in July 2024, but election officials did not disclose detailed vote counts, leading the U.S. and numerous European nations to reject Maduro’s claimed victory. The Biden administration recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González as the president-elect, but he fled to Spain in September 2024 following an arrest warrant issued against him.
U.S. Plans for Venezuela
Trump stated that the U.S. intends to “run the country” until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power occurs in Venezuela. He emphasized the need to prevent a leadership that does not prioritize the well-being of the Venezuelan people, citing decades of poor governance as a warning.
“We’re there now, and what people don’t understand, but they understand as I say this, we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place,” Trump explained, while refraining from elaborating on the specifics of U.S. oversight or the selection of a new leader.
The president indicated that senior officials, including Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, will collaborate with a “team” to engage with the Venezuelan populace, though he did not specify who would be part of that group.
In a subsequent interview, Hegseth stated, “It means we set the terms. President Trump sets the terms. And ultimately, he’ll decide what the iterations are of that,” adding that the U.S. aims to halt drug trafficking and ensure the return of confiscated oil resources.
Rebuilding Venezuela’s Oil Industry
Regarding a timeline for U.S. involvement, Trump highlighted the need to rebuild Venezuela’s “whole infrastructure,” particularly its oil industry, which boasts some of the largest petroleum reserves globally. He contended that without U.S. intervention, the country would have “zero chance of ever coming back.”
“We’ll run it properly. We’ll run it professionally. We’ll have the greatest oil companies in the world coming in to invest billions and billions of dollars,” he stated, asserting that the Venezuelan people would be the primary beneficiaries of these efforts.
When questioned about the blockade on sanctioned oil from Venezuela imposed last month, Hegseth confirmed that no oil is entering or leaving the country and that the U.S. military remains positioned in the Caribbean.
Trump’s administration has removed Maduro, but key figures from his regime, including Rodríguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, remain in power. Cabello is also implicated in the indictment alongside Maduro and Flores concerning the alleged narco-terrorism conspiracy.
In a cautionary remark directed at Venezuelan officials still in positions of power, Trump warned that the U.S. is “ready to stage a second and much larger attack” if necessary and expressed a willingness to deploy ground forces if required.
Rubio elaborated on this statement, asserting that Trump is not ruling out any options for U.S. action, even if a military occupation is not currently planned. When asked about other indicted members of Maduro’s cabinet, Rubio responded that the focus remains on the principal target, Maduro.
In summary, while discussions regarding the future leadership of Venezuela are ongoing, Trump indicated that the immediate mission is to stabilize the country and ensure a proper transition of power.
