WASHINGTON: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States will take charge of Venezuela and oversee its oil production following a major military operation that led to the overthrow and arrest of President Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking during a press conference on Saturday, January 3, from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump disclosed that large American oil companies would assume control of Venezuela’s energy sector, which he described as long mismanaged and in ruins.
As everyone knows, the oil business in Venezuela has been a bust for a long period of time, Trump said.
We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies the biggest anywhere in the world go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.
His comments came hours after U.S. forces reportedly captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a large-scale overnight military operation in the South American nation. Both have been indicted in the United States on drug-trafficking charges filed in the Southern District of New York.
Trump stated that the United States would temporarily govern Venezuela to ensure stability and order, pending a transition back to civilian rule.
“We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,” he said.
The announcement has sparked widespread global reactions, with critics describing the move as modern-day colonialism driven by oil interests, while supporters argue it could restore stability to Venezuela’s troubled economy.
A video of Trump’s remarks was released alongside the announcement
