Transcript: Secretary of State Marco Rubio on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 4, 2026
CBS News••general
Key Points:
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the U.S. maintains a strict oil quarantine on Venezuela, aiming to leverage control over the country's oil industry to pressure the regime for reforms benefiting the Venezuelan people and U.S. national interests.
- Rubio clarified that while the U.S. retains all military options, including potential ground forces, the current approach focuses on sanctions and naval deployments to disrupt Venezuela's illicit activities, with no immediate plans for occupation.
- Rubio defended the recent arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife as a complex, high-priority operation, explaining that simultaneous arrests of other indicted officials were not feasible and that ongoing efforts will assess cooperation from current Venezuelan leaders.
- The U.S. continues to recognize opposition figures María Corina Machado and Ed
