Key Highlights
- However, while Trump had said after the commando operation that seized Maduro that the United States planned to “run” the country and restore American oil interests, Pentagon officials said there were no U. S.
- forces operating inside Venezuela, and Maduro’s aides continued to appear in control on the ground. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe United States is ready to work with Venezuela’s remaining leaders if they make “the right decision,” Rubio said Sunday after an audacious US operation removed the oil-rich country’s president, Nicolas Maduro. More from World First known US land strike in Venezuela?
- Trump confirms hit on drug boat loading facility Tense calm grips Venezuela a day after US captures President Maduro“We’re going to judge everything by what they do, and we’re going to see what they do,” Rubio told CBS News’ “Face the Nation."“I do know this: that if they don’t make the right decision, that the United States will retain multiple levers of leverage."US commandos snatched Maduro from a compound in Caracas on Saturday in a risky operation involving jets, helicopters, warships and ground troops. He is now in a New York detention cell awaiting a court appearance expected Monday on federal narcotrafficking and weapons charges. Rubio appeared to significantly soften President Donald Trump’s extraordinary statements on Saturday that the United States will “run” Venezuela and that he would not be afraid to put military “boots on the ground."Quick ReadsView AllDiddy, Mangione, and now Maduro: Inside the world’s most notorious 'VIP' jailAt least 30 killed, several abducted as gunmen attack village in Nigeria’s Niger stateInstead, he made clear that Washington is ready to try working with Maduro’s vice president and now acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the rest of the ousted leader’s cabinet.“We are going to see what happens moving forward,” he said.“We’re going to make an assessment on the basis of what they do, not what they say publicly in the interim, not what, you know, what they’ve done in the past in many cases, but what they do moving forward."STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADRubio also said that discussions of Venezuela holding elections following Nicolas Maduro’s ouster were “premature,” with Washington focused on ensuring the remaining leadership in Caracas enacts policy changes. Asked how soon Venezuelan elections would be following Maduro’s capture by US forces on Saturday, Rubio told NBC’s “Meet the Press”: “All of that, I think, is premature at this point."“What we are focused on right now is all of the problems we had when Maduro was there.
- We still have those problems in terms of them needing to be addressed.
- We are going to give people an opportunity to address those challenges and those problems,” he said. With inputs from agenciesFollow Firstpost on Google.
