'We’re at war against drug trafficking, not Venezuela': Rubio defends US military Operation against Maduro

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday defended the military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, insisting it was not a war against Venezuela.

 Speaking on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Rubio said the operation’s primary objective was to curb drug trafficking into the United States and safeguard American security.

“We care about elections, we care about democracy, we care about all of that, but the No. 1 thing we care about is the safety, security, well-being and prosperity of the United States. And that’s what we’re going to focus on first and foremost here,” Rubio said, emphasising that Washington’s priority was protecting US interests.

Rubio emphasised that the US is “at war against drug trafficking organizations, not a war against Venezuela,” noting that Maduro had failed to cooperate with efforts to curb drug flows. He warned, “You can’t flood this country with gang members or drugs from Colombia, nor turn Venezuela into an operating hub for Iran, Russia, Hezbollah, China, or Cuban intelligence agents.”

The capture of Maduro took place on Saturday in a military operation announced by President Donald Trump, who noted that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had been sworn in as interim president and was in contact with US officials, including Rubio. Trump also told reporters, “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” while clarifying that no US troops were currently inside Venezuela.

In response, Rodríguez addressed Venezuelans on Saturday, reaffirming Maduro as “the only president of Venezuela” and demanding his immediate release.

Rubio also addressed concerns from Congress, rejecting criticism that the operation bypassed lawmakers. He said the mission did not require congressional approval and compared it to actions undertaken by “virtually every single president for the last 40 years.”

Commenting on Venezuela’s recent elections, which Maduro claimed to have won despite widespread evidence of fraud, Rubio called further democratic processes “premature at this point.” He noted that much of the opposition was no longer inside the country, but expressed hope that Rodríguez’s leadership would result in “more compliance and cooperation than we were previously receiving.”

On Venezuela’s oil, Rubio said the US does not need it but will block rivals from gaining influence. “We have plenty of oil in the United States,” he said. “This is the Western Hemisphere… we’re not going to allow it to be a base for adversaries, competitors, and rivals of the United States.”