Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
President Donald Trump said the United States carried out a military operation that resulted in the detention of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, followed by a decision for the U.S. to assume temporary administrative control of Venezuela.
In a public statement released through official channels, Trump said U.S. forces conducted what he described as a “large-scale operation” that led to Maduro being taken into custody and removed from Venezuela. He said the action was ordered by the U.S. government and carried out by American military personnel.
Trump stated that Maduro would be brought to the United States to face criminal charges. “He will face justice in our courts,” Trump said, referring to longstanding U.S. accusations that Maduro was involved in narcotics trafficking and related crimes.
According to U.S. officials, Maduro is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court today at 12 p.m. Eastern Time, which corresponds to 11 a.m. Texas time.
Speaking later to reporters, Trump said the United States would take responsibility for governing Venezuela on an interim basis. He said the U.S. would “run the country” until there could be what he described as a “safe, proper and judicious transition” to a new government.
Trump said the purpose of the temporary administration would be to stabilize the country and prepare it for a political transition. “This is about order and stability,” he said, adding that the U.S. would oversee key institutions during the interim period.
The president also linked the operation to U.S. security and economic interests. He said Venezuela’s oil sector would be restored and that American companies would play a role in rebuilding damaged energy infrastructure. According to Trump, this effort would benefit both Venezuelans and the United States.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. military was prepared to maintain a presence in Venezuela if required. He said American forces would act to protect the transition process and U.S. personnel on the ground.
In his remarks, Trump described the operation as successful and said there were no U.S. military fatalities. He repeated that the United States intended to remain in control only until a new governing authority could be put in place.
The statements marked one of the most significant foreign policy announcements of Trump’s presidency, with the U.S. president making clear that Washington would directly oversee Venezuela’s political future for an undefined period while, in his words, “a proper transition is carried out.”
See related story:
