Top Republicans backpedal from Trump claim that US will run Venezuela
The Guardian••nation
Key Points:
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other prominent Republicans distanced themselves from Donald Trump’s claim that the US would run Venezuela after capturing President Nicolás Maduro, emphasizing leverage and policy influence rather than direct governance.
- Rubio stated the US aims to set conditions to end Venezuela’s status as a “narco-trafficking paradise” and stressed that the US does not currently have forces on the ground or plans to run the country directly.
- Senator Tom Cotton and Congressman Jim Jordan echoed uncertainty about the US’s role in Venezuela’s future, with Cotton highlighting efforts to negotiate a transition government and Jordan expressing trust in Trump’s leadership despite lack of clarity.
- Trump threatened Maduro’s vice-president Delcy Rodríguez with severe consequences if she does not comply with
