Just hours after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, President Donald Trump announced that Washington would ‘run the country until a safe, proper, and judicious transition can be carried out, according to the New York Times.
Capture of Maduro
On Saturday, American special operations forces captured Mr. Maduro and his wife and took them to New York to face criminal charges.
During a news conference held after the incident at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club in Florida, the President made several remarks noting that the military operation was, at least in part, driven by an attempt to secure greater access to Venezuela’s oil.
When asked about the possible deployment of U.S. forces in Venezuela, Trump clarified that there would be a ‘presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil.’
New Interim President
Trump also announced that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had been sworn in as Venezuela’s Interim President.
However, Rodríguez had condemned Washington’s military intervention and the capture of Nicolás Maduro earlier on Saturday.
Trump offered few details about how Washington would oversee Venezuela, stating only that an unspecified ‘group’ would take charge.
Trump also told reporters that Rodríguez had spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying she was ‘essentially willing to do what we think is necessary.’
US Military Operation
The US military operation followed months of threats, warnings, and drug‑smuggling accusations by Trump against Maduro.
In a brief phone interview with The New York Times after the announcement, Trump celebrated the mission and described the operation as ‘brilliant.’
Meanwhile, Venezuelan authorities reported that some citizens had been killed, though the full toll of deaths and injuries was still under assessment.
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