President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will oversee the running of Venezuela for the foreseeable future, following a dramatic military operation that captured the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro.
US Asserts Control Following Caracas Raid
The announcement came during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Saturday. Trump confirmed a successful mission in the early hours of that morning, which resulted in the apprehension of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia, in Caracas.
When questioned about who would govern Venezuela, the President gestured to two key officials standing behind him: Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. "Well, it's largely going to be run for a period of time by the people standing right behind me," Trump stated. "We're gonna be running it."
'Not Afraid of Boots on the Ground'
In a significant remark, President Trump did not rule out deploying American military personnel to the South American nation. He directly addressed the sensitive issue of a troop presence.
"They always say, boots on the ground, oh it's so - we're not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to have," he told reporters. He clarified that any large-scale military operation was unlikely, suggesting instead that many Americans involved would be from the oil and gas industry.
"We're going to have a presence in Venezuela in terms of oil," Trump explained, underlining the strategic economic interest. Pressed further on troop numbers, he added, "You may need something, not very much."
Operation Monitored from Florida Estate
The commander-in-chief monitored the high-stakes mission from his Palm Beach private club, where he has been staying over the holiday period. His stay included hosting a large New Year's Eve celebration and golfing at his West Palm Beach club.
Vice President JD Vance had also travelled to Florida ahead of the operation, having missed New Year festivities, though he was not present at the Saturday press conference.
This development marks a sudden and severe escalation in the long-standing political and economic crisis in Venezuela, placing the country under unprecedented direct US oversight.
