Former US President Donald Trump has stated that the United States planned a military invasion of Venezuela during his administration, aiming to capture President Nicolás Maduro and seize control of the country. In a recent press conference, Trump detailed a hypothetical operation involving US Special Forces capturing Maduro and taking him to New York, with the US temporarily running Venezuela until a transition could occur.
Trump claimed that the operation would have involved knocking out electricity in parts of Caracas and capturing Maduro from one of his safe houses. He asserted that the US would manage Venezuela's oil infrastructure through American companies, spending billions to repair it and generating revenue for the country. Trump also mentioned that he was open to sending US troops if necessary, stating that an occupation would not cost the US anything as it would be reimbursed from oil revenues.
However, Trump's claims have been met with skepticism and criticism. Democratic lawmakers and international leaders condemned the proposed intervention as a dangerous example of US imperialism. Venezuelan officials, including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, have maintained a defiant stance, undermining Trump's assertion of cooperation. It remains unclear how Trump would have administered Venezuela, as US forces would not have had control over the country itself.
