'We’re going to run the country, until...’: Donald Trump signals US control of Venezuela, hails operation

US President Donald Trump said that the United States would “run Venezuela” for the time being following a dramatic overnight operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, though he offered no details on how such an arrangement would be implemented. 

Speaking at a press conference in Florida on December 3, Trump said Washington would oversee the country until a transition could be put in place. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said, without outlining a legal or administrative framework for US involvement. 

Trump described Maduro as a “dictator” and a “drug kingpin,” reiterating longstanding US accusations against the Venezuelan leader, who has been under indictment in the United States for years. 

The US president opened the press conference by praising the military operation that led to Maduro’s capture, calling it an unprecedented display of American power. 

“This was one of the most stunning attacks and effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history,” Trump said. 

“No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday, or frankly, in such a short period of time,” he added, claiming that Venezuelan military capabilities had been neutralised during the operation. 

“All Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless as the men and women of our military, working with US law enforcement, successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night,” Trump said.

Trump described Maduro’s leadership as “both horrible and breathtaking.” 

“We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela, including many Venezuelans currently living in the United States who wish to return to their homeland,” the US president said. 

He added, “We cannot allow someone else to take over Venezuela who does not have the best interests of the Venezuelan people in mind, after decades of mismanagement. We’re not going to let that happen.” 

Trump continued, “We are there now… and we will stay until a proper transition can take place.” 

The US president said that the US will be running Venezuela with a “group” and did not rule out the possibility of US troops. “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” Trump said adding, “We’re going to make sure the country is run properly.”

Turning to Venezuela’s oil sector, he said, “We are going to have our very large US oil companies — the biggest in the world — invest billions to repair the country’s damaged oil infrastructure and generate revenue. We were also prepared to carry out a second, much larger attack if needed, but it was not necessary.” 

Details on how, under what authority, or through what agreements the US intends to oversee Venezuela during this transition remain unclear.