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President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States is “in charge” of Venezuela following the capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro, while signaling his administration is working with the country’s new interim government.
“We’re dealing with the people who just got sworn in. Don’t ask me who’s in charge because I’ll give you an answer and it’ll be very controversial,” President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. Pressed for clarification, he added, “It means we’re in charge.”
When asked if the U.S. military operation in Venezuela was driven by oil or regime change, Trump replied, “It’s about peace on earth.”
Trump said elections in Venezuela would be postponed until stability is restored. “We’re going to run it, fix it, we’ll have elections at the right time, but the main thing you have to fix is it’s a broken country,” he said.
Maduro and his wife were taken into U.S. custody early Saturday during a pre-dawn raid involving American commandos supported by fighter jets and naval forces. He is scheduled to appear in a New York federal court on Monday on narcotrafficking charges.
The Trump administration has said it is willing to cooperate with what remains of Maduro’s government if U.S. objectives are met.
Despite the mission’s swift success, questions remain about Washington’s long-term strategy for Venezuela. Trump said Saturday the United States will “run” the country, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the goal was not full regime change.
“The United States is fighting drug traffickers, not a war against Venezuela,” Rubio said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” though he confirmed a U.S. naval blockade will stay in place to restrict Venezuelan oil exports.
Administration officials said Rubio is expected to brief lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Monday about the next steps.
Maduro, a self-described socialist, ruled Venezuela for more than a decade through elections widely considered fraudulent. He rose to power following the death of his predecessor, Hugo Chávez, in 2013.
