Rubio explained the US strategy on Venezuela in the Senate after Maduro's removal
During hearings at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Donald Trump administration's policy on Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro was removed from power. According to him, the situation in the country is better than it was a month ago, and Washington's actions have yielded tangible results.
In early January, the United States conducted a military operation in Caracas, during which Maduro was captured and taken to New York for trial. After that, the duties of the president were transferred to former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. Rubio stressed that the US will closely monitor the actions of the interim government and is ready to use force in the absence of cooperation, although it is currently seeing "good and decent progress."
The head of the State Department announced his intention to strengthen the US diplomatic presence in Venezuela in the near future and to reopen the American embassy in Caracas, which has been closed since 2019. According to him, this will allow for the direct exchange of information and more active interaction with both the government and the opposition.
Rubio also presented in detail the three stages of the US plan for Venezuela. The first involves stabilisation and prevention of civil war and mass migration, particularly to Colombia. An important element is the controlled use of oil revenues, which are directed towards the purchase of medicines and equipment for the population. The second stage concerns the restoration of the economy and the normalisation of the oil industry with transparent rules and no corruption. The third stage is aimed at democratisation, in particular the release of up to two thousand political prisoners and preparations for free and fair elections.
Speaking in the Senate, Rubio also drew attention to the threats that Maduro's regime posed to the region by cooperating with Iran, Russia, China and international drug cartels. He acknowledged that there was still much work to be done, but stressed that in three and a half weeks, the United States had made significant progress.
Source and photo: DW.
Secretary of State, United States, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela, United States of America, Delsie Rodríguez
