“We’ll have elections at the right time,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Jan. 4. “Venezuela right now is a dead country. We have to bring it back.”
The Trump administration has made clear that before any broader political change can take place in the country, the immediate priorities include ensuring that the interim leadership complies with U.S. orders, preventing interference by drug cartels, and bringing in U.S. oil companies to help rebuild Venezuela’s energy infrastructure.
In recent years, Venezuela has experienced economic collapse, accompanied by hyperinflation, widespread poverty, and a significant exodus of citizens.
During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, hours after Maduro’s capture, Trump said the United States will run Venezuela until a “safe, proper, and judicious transition” to a new government is possible.
In a Fox News interview on Jan. 3, shortly after the operation, Trump explained why the United States needs to be involved in the country’s governance.
“We can’t take a chance on letting somebody else run it and just take over where [Maduro] left off,” he said.
Maduro and his wife were transferred to New York City on Jan. 3 and are currently being held in jail. At their first court appearance on Jan. 5, both pleaded not guilty to federal charges that include drug trafficking and collaborating with gangs designated as terrorist organizations.
Maduro told the court that he is still the president of his country and that he was kidnapped.
Why has Venezuela never been an attractive tourism destination?