DHAKA: The United States will assume control of Venezuela’s affairs until a “safe, proper and judicious” transition of power can be arranged, President Donald Trump said on Saturday, following the reported capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro by American forces.
Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said US officials would temporarily run the country to prevent instability and ensure Venezuelans’ interests are protected.
“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. “We can’t take a chance that someone else takes over Venezuela who doesn’t have the interests of Venezuelans in mind.”
According to Trump, US naval and special operations forces detained Maduro during a large-scale overnight strike that disrupted electricity in parts of Caracas. Maduro is reportedly being transported to New York.
Despite the operation, it remains unclear how Washington intends to govern Venezuela. While the raid targeted key locations and allegedly captured Maduro in or near a safe house, US forces do not appear to control the country, and elements of Maduro’s government are still functioning.
Trump’s remarks drew comparisons to past US-led interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, both of which ended after years of military presence. He said he was open to deploying American troops on Venezuelan soil.
“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” he told reporters.
However, the president offered few details when repeatedly questioned about how the US would administer the country or how long such involvement might last.
Trump insisted that any US occupation would not burden American taxpayers, claiming costs would be recovered from Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. “It won’t cost us a penny,” he said, referring to revenue from the country’s energy resources.
Maduro’s government strongly condemned the operation, calling it an “extremely serious military aggression” by the United States. The incident follows months of escalating economic and military pressure by Washington against Caracas.
