US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will take control of Venezuela until a political transition is possible. This statement came after VenezuelanPresident Nicolás Maduro was captured in a US-led military operation.
At a news conference on Saturday, Trump said Washington would oversee Venezuela “until we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” He also said American oil companies would help fix the country’s “badly broken” infrastructure.
The announcement came just hours after US forces bombed Caracas and detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, bringing them to New York to face drug-related charges. The Trump administration defended its actions, saying Maduro has ties to drug cartels. Maduro has long denied these claims, calling them a US attempt to control Venezuela’s oil reserves.
The operation has led to widespread criticism. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the attacks a “flagrant violation of international law.” UN officials warned that the actions set a “dangerous precedent.” Ben Saul, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, described Maduro’s detention as an “illegal abduction.”
Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López called on citizens to stay united, saying that “independence is not up for negotiation.” Vice President Delcy Rodríguez disagreed with Trump’s claim that she had agreed to cooperate. She demanded Maduro’s immediate release and said, “Venezuela will not be a colony of the United States.”
Some analysts doubt that Trump’s plan will work. Former US naval officer Harlan Ullman warned, “the notion of America taking over Venezuela is going to explode in our faces.” He said Washington does not have the knowledge or logistics to govern such a complex country.
It is unclear how long the US plans to control Venezuela or if this move will cause more instability in the region.
