Trump says US will run Venezuela after Maduro’s capture

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Washington would temporarily “run” Venezuela until a “safe and proper transition” is put in place, after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife during US military operations.

Speaking at a press conference, Trump said the Venezuelan leadership would “face American justice,” adding that Maduro and his wife were currently aboard a ship headed to New York. He praised US forces for the operation, saying the mission was completed at night and that “the targets were successfully hit.”

Trump repeatedly thanked American troops, saying the military “did an incredible job” and that no US helicopters were harmed during the operation. He described the US military and its equipment as “the best in the world.”

The US president said Washington would administer Venezuela “until we can ensure a safe, proper and judicious transition,” stressing that the ultimate goal was to establish what he called a “proper government” and restore peace in the country. He added that Venezuelan migrants currently in the United States should eventually be able to return home “peacefully.”

Trump also said major US oil companies would be sent to Venezuela to help rebuild infrastructure, particularly in the energy sector, which he claimed had suffered significant damage. He further alleged that drugs entering the United States from Venezuela had harmed Americans and reiterated that the detained Venezuelan leaders would “face full justice” in the US.

He claimed “no nation could achieve what America achieved last night,” calling the operation unprecedented.

Trump said he wanted to thank law enforcement agencies and the military for “the incredible job they did,” adding that his administration “saved Los Angeles when it was severely hit by wildfires in nearby areas.”

Web Desk