We will rule Venezuela until a safe, orderly and reasonable transition takes place, US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday during a press conference. He added that he wants freedom for Venezuelans.
– We will rule the country until we manage to carry out a safe, appropriate and reasonable transformation. “We don't want to get involved in someone else taking power and having the same situation we've had for the last many years,” Trump said.
The American president stressed that he wants “peace, freedom and justice for the great people of Venezuela, including the many Venezuelans who currently live in the United States and want to return to their country.”
Trump announced that the attack on Caracas was an operation not seen since World War II and suggested that American services turned off the lights in the Venezuelan capital during it. He also added that U.S. forces were ready for a second wave of attack and are still ready to do so if necessary.
The world reacts to the US attack on Venezuela. The UN is concerned, China condemns and Argentina supports
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the US operation against Venezuela in which the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro, was captured. China condemned the US action, and Moscow demanded the release of Maduro and his wife. Support for the US actions was expressed by, among others: Argentina and Israel.
“We're going to allow our huge American oil companies – the largest in the world – to come in, spend billions of dollars and repair very damaged infrastructure, oil infrastructure,” Trump said at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump: American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will no longer be questioned
Trump accused the Venezuelan regime of stealing from America, referring to the nationalization of the oil sector by Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez.
– I wouldn't allow it (…) America will never allow foreign powers to rob our nation or force us to withdraw from our hemisphere – said Trump. He announced the return of American companies to Venezuela, although he stressed that For now, the embargo on Venezuelan oil remains in place.
He also announced that America would watch over the Western Hemisphere as its region.
– According to our new National Security Strategy, American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never again be questioned – he noted. Trump also warned other members of the Maduro regime that they could share his fate.
Trump published a photo of the captured Maduro
Trump on his social networking site Truth Social posted a photo of the deposed dictator with the caption “Nicolas Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima.” The photo shows Maduro, dressed in a gray tracksuit, wearing dark glasses and headphones, in the company of a DEA anti-drug agent. Trump previously announced that Maduro would sail on a ship to New York, where he would face drug smuggling charges.
The US president also posted on his website a compilation of social media videos showing explosions in Caracas set to the song “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The song was a famous anthem against the Vietnam War.
Trump: Venezuela's vice president is willing to do whatever it takes to make it great again
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is willing to “do what it takes to make Venezuela great again.” He stressed, however, that the country would be ruled by people chosen by the US.
– She has just been sworn in, but, as you know, she was chosen by Maduro. Marco (Secretary of State Rubio) is working on this directly. “He just talked to her and she's basically willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” Trump said. – She had a long conversation with Marco and said: “We will do whatever you want,” he added.
However, the president noted that Venezuela would be governed by a “group” selected by the US and that he would soon announce the names of the officials who would take over power. He also threatened that US forces will remain in place and may launch another attack if necessary for current members of the regime to meet US demands.
Trump said members of his cabinet would work with Venezuelans to “make sure Venezuela is in good shape.”
– Because if we just leave, who will take over? I mean, there's no one to take it over, he said. When asked about the US' bad experience in a similar situation in Iraq, Trump replied that America had a different president then. He also added that there would be no costs involved and the US would be compensated for all expenses.
How did the son of a labor leader become president?
Nicolas Maduro, not recognized by many countries as the legitimate president, has ruled Venezuela since 2013, rigging elections, suppressing protests and persecuting the opposition. Under his rule, the oil-rich country plunged into a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis.
Maduro was born in 1962 in Caracas; he is the son of a trade union leader and was also active in trade unions. He worked as a bus driver for many years. He became involved in politics at the national level, supporting armed forces officer Hugo Chavez after his failed coup attempt.
When Chavez won the presidential election in 1998, Maduro was elected to the unicameral parliament. He later became its chairman and then minister of foreign affairs. In this role, he traveled around the world and sought to build international alliances for a country that derived significant profits from oil exports.
Chavez, a socialist politician described as one of the most charismatic Latin American leaders of the 21st century, has named Maduro as his successor. When he died in 2013, Maduro, who was vice president at the time, took power. In the same year, he won the presidential election with a minimal difference of votes.
Dramatic collapse of the Venezuelan economy
Under his rule, there was a dramatic decline in the country's economy, based largely on oil extraction and export. There was hyperinflation and chronic shortages of essential goods. The situation was further complicated by sanctions imposed by the US and other Western countries. Washington has accused Maduro of corruption and other crimes.
Due to the terrible economic situation and persecution, approximately 8 million people, i.e. approximately one fifth of the country's population, have left Venezuela in recent years. Most of them moved to surrounding South American countries, but many thousands ended up in the United States, increasing migration pressure.
Maduro brutally suppressed protests and persecuted the opposition
Meanwhile, in the country, services subordinated to Maduro brutally suppressed protests and persecuted the opposition. After 2013, all national elections in Venezuela raised concerns among human rights organizations and other countries. The 2018 and 2024 presidential elections are widely considered rigged in Maduro's favor.
Before the 2024 elections, the authorities blocked the candidacy of opposition leader and future Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado. Her party supported another candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. After the elections, the opposition presented protocols proving Gonzalez's significant victory.
However, the authorities in Caracas announced the victory of Maduro, who retained control over the armed forces and police. Protests broke out in the country and were brutally suppressed by the services. Thousands of people were detained and persecution of the opposition intensified.
In December 2025, experts from the independent mission of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) assessed in a report that under Maduro's rule, the Venezuelan National Guard, one of the formations of the local armed forces, had committed serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity against opponents of the regime.
Maduro himself has repeatedly denied US accusations of involvement in drug smuggling. Officials subordinated to him also criticized UN reports condemning human rights violations by his regime.
Expert: US intervention in Venezuela deepens the crisis of international law
In an interview with PAP, Americanist Dr. Grzegorz Kostrzewa-Zorbas said that the US actions “are deepening the crisis of international law and the principles of international relations in general, including the importance of international and interstate organizations.”
– For Donald Trump's administration in the United States, international law and international organizations do not exist. He never refers to them or refers to them, and the only law he sometimes reads is the internal law of the United States. And this, of course, is not international law and does not apply to other countries, said Kostrzewa-Zorbas.
As the expert noted, international law has always been weaker than the internal law of well-functioning states, but it has civilized international relations. He emphasized that the US intervention was contrary to him and was carried out without the participation of any international organization.
– It deepens the crisis, thus facilitating or even encouraging similar disregard and violations of international law and bypassing international organizations by other states. And now you can easily imagine that Russia, in particular, North Korea, or Iran and numerous other countries in Europe and around the world will imitate American actions, for example by carrying out strikes and armed attacks – said the Americanist.
In this context, the expert mentioned, among others: last year's conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iran. The US then destroyed targets on Iranian territory.
– Here we are immediately reminded of one of Russia's original goals in a full-scale war with Ukraine, that is, removing the president of Ukraine from power. Now Russia could attempt to kidnap him and take him out of Ukraine to face a Russian court for drug trafficking, something the Russian president has long accused of doing. So this is a very dangerous road for the world – said Kostrzewa-Zorbas.
Maduro's victory in the 2019 elections was not recognized by a number of countries, including: USA or European Union countries. In 2024, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) declared the incumbent president victorious again. Maduro was then expected to win over 50 percent in the first round. votes. Opposition representatives then pointed out that the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia clearly won the vote, receiving 73.2 percent. support.
Kostrzewa-Zorbas assessed that “it is still not enough to justify an armed attack.” – This would require invoking the right to self-defense against an armed attack. And of course, Venezuela did not attack the United States and it cannot fight a defensive war. The only other way of justification is through a resolution of the United Nations Security Council. Of course, there was no such thing and there certainly won't be one, because, among other things, Russia and China would undoubtedly use their veto power – said the Americanist.
According to Kostrzewa-Zorbas, support for an alternative government to Maduro could serve as justification for the attack. He cited Gonzalez as an example, but – as he emphasized – nothing similar had happened.
– Neither the Venezuelan opposition has come up with any position at all, much less a statement, an announcement of the takeover of power, the creation of real authorities of a free Venezuela and a call for help from the United States. The Venezuelan opposition has been silent so far, which means it has no position, he said. – So, to sum up, presenting this armed attack as help to restore democracy, freedom and human rights in Venezuela has not even been undertaken, there is not even an attempt of this kind on the part of the United States – he concluded.
Andrzej Borowiak
osk/adj/ ya/
