US Republican Leaders Clarify Stance on Venezuela Following Trump's Claims
Top Republicans, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, recently backpedaled on former President Trump's claim that the US would run Venezuela after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Rubio emphasized on Sunday that the US holds leverage and aims to end narco-trafficking while curbing the influence of Iran and militant proxies in the region. He outlined the use of oil-related leverage among other tools but stressed that outcomes will be judged based on Venezuelan actions rather than rhetoric. Rubio also clarified that the US is not at war and does not have troops on the ground in Venezuela.
Trump had previously claimed that the US would run Venezuela "with a group" and designate leaders following Maduro's capture. In response, Maduro's vice-president Delcy Rodríguez appeared on state television to reject any notion of US control, asserting that Venezuela will not become a colony.
Senator Tom Cotton addressed uncertainties about the future, affirming that Maduro is not currently running Venezuela. He discussed the possibility of a transition government contingent on conditions such as halting drug and weapons trafficking and the expulsion of Cuban and Iranian influence. Senator Jim Jordan stated that he could not confirm who would run Venezuela and remarked, "we'll see what's next." Meanwhile, Democrat Jim Himes condemned the intervention as an imperial venture.
The debate also referenced opposition leader María Corina Machado, who leads the exile-based opposition movement and is a Nobel laureate. Trump claimed that she lacked sufficient support within Venezuela.
