In a significant address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on 22 January 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a stark warning regarding Venezuela. Following the signing of a Board of Peace charter, Rubio emphasised that the United States stands ready to employ military force if the interim leadership in Venezuela fails to align with American objectives.
Rubio's Prepared Remarks Outline US Stance
According to prepared testimony for a Senate foreign relations committee hearing, Rubio clarified that the US is not at war with Venezuela and acknowledged current cooperation from interim leaders. However, he explicitly stated that the Trump administration would not rule out additional military action, particularly in the wake of the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.
“We are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail,” Rubio's opening statement declared. “It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere.”
Defending Trump's Controversial Policies
Rubio, a former Florida senator, is tasked with advocating for one of Donald Trump's more contentious foreign policy priorities to Congress. His testimony aims to justify actions such as removing Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in the US, continuing military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats, and seizing sanctioned tankers carrying Venezuelan oil.
He asserted, “There is no war against Venezuela, and we did not occupy a country. There are no US troops on the ground. This was an operation to aid law enforcement.” This comes as the administration faces scrutiny over a large military buildup in the region, despite claims of no ground troops in Venezuela.
Congressional and Legal Challenges Emerge
Congressional Democrats have strongly criticised Trump's moves, arguing they exceed executive authority, while most Republicans have supported them as a legitimate exercise of presidential power. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the committee, plans to question the efficacy of the operation, noting the high costs and the persistence of Maduro's former aides in power.
In her prepared statement, Shaheen highlighted, “The US naval blockade around Venezuela and the raid have already cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars … and yet the Maduro regime is still in power.” Additionally, the House narrowly defeated a war powers act resolution that would have directed Trump to withdraw US troops, amid debates over the necessity of such measures.
Legal and Diplomatic Repercussions
The pushback extends to the courts, with families of two Trinidadian nationals killed in a Trump administration boat strike filing a wrongful-death case. Since September, three dozen strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean have resulted in at least 126 fatalities, raising concerns over the campaign's human toll.
Simultaneously, US officials are working to normalise ties with Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who has assured cooperation. Rubio made it clear in his testimony that Rodríguez has little choice but to comply with US demands, which include opening Venezuela's energy sector to US companies and ending subsidised oil exports to Cuba.
Rodríguez, previously Maduro's vice-president, stated on Tuesday that her government and the Trump administration “have established respectful and courteous channels of communication” and are collaborating to set a working agenda. This diplomatic effort underscores the complex interplay between coercion and negotiation in US-Venezuela relations.
