By: The Trek News Desk
US President Donald Trump has said that the United States will “administer” Venezuela until what he described as a “safe, orderly and proper transition of power” is achieved. The remarks came after a major US military operation that led to the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and their removal from the country.
According to Trump, major American oil companies will be brought in to overhaul Venezuela’s long-neglected oil infrastructure. He said the aim would be to revive production and ensure the sector begins generating revenue again for the country, which has struggled for years with declining output and mismanagement.
In the early hours of Saturday, US forces carried out an operation in Caracas, detaining Maduro and Flores. The two were first transported by a US military helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, then flown to the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. From there, they were transferred to New York State and eventually placed in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that both Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. The charges include conspiracy related to narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and explosive devices, and conspiracy to use such weapons. Bondi said the pair would face trial in US courts.
Trump said that Venezuela would be governed temporarily by a “group” to ensure stability and proper administration. He also claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in contact with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and suggested she had indicated a willingness to cooperate with Washington.
However, Rodríguez rejected Trump’s claims in a televised address, insisting that Nicolás Maduro remains Venezuela’s only legitimate president. She said the government was prepared to resist foreign interference and demanded proof that Maduro and his wife were alive following their capture.
Venezuela holds one of the world’s largest crude oil reserves, estimated at around 303 billion barrels, accounting for roughly 20 per cent of global reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The Trump administration has argued that large-scale US investment could rapidly restore the country’s oil industry.
The US operation has drawn strong international criticism. Russia described the action as an “act of armed aggression,” while China said it was deeply shocked by the use of force against a sovereign nation. Several Latin American countries, including Colombia, Brazil and Cuba, also condemned the move. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel called it a “criminal attack.”
Responses from US allies were more measured. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain does not regard Maduro as a legitimate leader but supports a peaceful transition that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people. France and the European Union echoed similar calls, while Germany stressed the need to respect international law and prevent political instability.
Meanwhile, the US has intensified operations in the Caribbean and Pacific regions in recent months, targeting what it describes as drug-trafficking networks. Critics and experts, however, argue that Venezuela is not a major producer of illicit drugs but primarily serves as a limited transit route. They also note that fentanyl entering the US is largely produced in Mexico and smuggled across land borders.
As the situation continues to evolve, Venezuela’s political future and the international response remain uncertain.
Source: News Agencies
