President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States will assume administrative control of Venezuela following a large-scale military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Trump stated the U.S. would “run” Venezuela on a temporary basis until a safe and proper transition can take place , explaining that the administration wants to avoid a situation where another problematic leader takes power.
During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, the president said: “We are going to run the country until such time as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place”, adding that the U.S. doesn’t want to be involved in having someone else take over only to face the same situation that has existed for years.
The military strikes occurred early Saturday morning in Caracas and surrounding areas. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro and his wife face charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
Trump revealed that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as president of the country, though her status and whereabouts remain unclear The president also indicated that major U.S. oil companies would enter Venezuela to repair infrastructure and develop the country’s vast oil reserves, which are the largest in the world.
The operation marks a dramatic escalation in U.S.-Venezuela relations, coming after months of increasing pressure on Maduro’s government, which the U.S. does not recognize as legitimate following disputed 2024 elections.
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