Key Takeaways
- The United States has seized control of Venezuela, with President Donald Trump warning the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, to heed US wishes or face consequences.
- The US has kept a 15,000-strong force in the Caribbean and may make a fresh military intervention if Rodríguez does not accommodate their demands.
- The international community has condemned the US actions, with the EU and several Latin American countries calling for restraint and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people.
- The situation in Venezuela remains uncertain, with residents stocking up on basic supplies and awaiting the outcome of the crisis.
- The US has charged former President Nicolás Maduro with narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, and he is due to appear in a Manhattan federal court for arraignment.
Introduction to the Crisis
The prospect of the United States seizing direct control of Venezuela appeared to recede on Sunday after the shocking seizure of President Nicolás Maduro. However, US officials said Washington was keeping a 15,000-strong force in the Caribbean and might make a fresh military intervention if Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, did not accommodate their demands. This move has sparked widespread condemnation from the international community, with many countries calling for restraint and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people.
US Demands and Threats
In the aftermath of Maduro’s abduction on Saturday, Donald Trump said the US would "run" the South American country of 30 million people. On Sunday, he warned Rodríguez to heed US wishes, stating that if she doesn’t do what’s right, she will pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke to Rodríguez, who told him "we’ll do whatever you need", according to Trump. However, it is unclear what the substance of their conversations was, and Rodríguez has maintained a defiant tone in public, pledging fealty to Maduro and condemning his capture as an "atrocity".
International Reaction
The international community has condemned the US actions, with the EU and several Latin American countries calling for restraint and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people. The governments of Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay said in a joint statement that US actions "constitute an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security and endanger the civilian population". The UK’s Keir Starmer said Britain was not involved in the attack but refused to condemn it. The EU, except for Hungary, issued a statement calling for restraint by "all actors" and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people in order to "restore democracy".
Situation on the Ground
In Caracas, senior government and military figures demanded the return of Maduro but pledged support for Rodríguez as a stand-in leader and called for a return to normality. The defense minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, said "a large part" of Maduro’s security team, as well as soldiers and civilians, died in the US raid. The minister said the armed forces will resist "imperial aggression" and ensure independence and sovereignty despite the "cowardly kidnapping" of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Residents in Caracas are nervous and uncertain about the future, with many stocking up on basic supplies and awaiting the outcome of the crisis.
US Military Presence
The US has kept a significant military presence in the region, with 15,000 troops stationed in the Caribbean. Trump said the US may intervene in other countries, stating that "we do need Greenland, absolutely". This move has sparked concerns about the potential for further military intervention in the region. The US has also imposed sanctions on Venezuela, aiming to block the entry and exit of oil tankers and sustain "leverage" over Maduro’s successor.
Maduro’s Indictment
The White House shared footage of the deposed dictator handcuffed and doing a "perp walk" to Drug Enforcement Administration offices in New York before being taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal facility in Brooklyn. Authorities unsealed a four-count indictment that charges Maduro with narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. The prosecution will deepen the humiliation felt by Maduro loyalists and complicate the balancing act faced by his successor, Rodríguez.
Rodríguez’s Challenge
Rodríguez, who served as vice-president and oil minister until her boss’s removal, must juggle Washington’s demands for oil and security guarantees with a regime that retains vestiges of the socialism and anti-imperialism of its late founder, Hugo Chávez. The powerful interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, pledged loyalty to Maduro but tacitly backed the interim president. The Trump administration’s apparent satisfaction with regime tweak, rather than regime change, has dismayed those Venezuelans who hoped Maduro’s downfall would usher in democracy.
Uncertain Future
The situation in Venezuela remains uncertain, with residents expressing nervousness and uncertainty about the future. Joggers and cyclists have reappeared on the streets of Caracas, but many are waiting to see what will happen next. The US has ruled out elections in the short term, and it is unclear what the future holds for the country. One thing is certain, however: the crisis in Venezuela is far from over, and the international community will be watching closely as the situation unfolds.