Donald Trump Says US Not At War With Venezuela; Rules Out Near-Term Elections

President Donald Trump stated on Monday that the United States is not at war with Venezuela and will not press for elections in the near term. He insisted that authorities must stabilise the country first and rebuild its infrastructure following the capture of Nicolas Maduro.

In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Trump explained that elections would not be feasible in the next 30 days.

“We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election if people can’t even vote,” he stated.

Washington intends to prioritise restoring basic order and rebuilding the Venezuelan economy.

Trump emphasised that the transition would take time, noting, “We have to nurse the country back to health.”

Officials plan to involve US oil companies in rehabilitating Venezuela’s energy infrastructure.

Trump suggested that the effort could take less than 18 months. He added that companies would cover the initial costs and recover their investments through US reimbursement or revenue.

He said, “A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue.”

Trump rejected claims that the United States is at war with Venezuela.

“No, we’re not. We’re at war with people that sell drugs. We’re at war with people that empty their prisons into our country and empty their drug addicts and empty their mental institutions into our country,” he clarified.

The president blamed Venezuela’s leadership for the nation’s collapse. He accused Maduro of exporting crime and instability. He also noted that Maduro was captured during a US operation in Caracas and later arraigned in New York on narco-terrorism and cocaine importation charges.

Cooperation From Acting Leader

Trump explained that Venezuela’s acting leader, Rodriguez, has been cooperating with US officials. He denied any prior communication between her camp and Washington, adding, “No, that’s not the case.”

The US President noted that a decision on sanctions against her would be made soon.

When asked who is ultimately in charge of Venezuela, Trump answered, ‘Me’.

He highlighted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been actively involved in communications, noting that Rubio ‘speaks to her fluently in Spanish’ and maintains a strong working relationship.

Trump confirmed that the United States is prepared to launch a second military incursion if cooperation falters. He expressed confidence, however, that such action will not be necessary, stating, “We’re prepared to do it. We anticipated doing it, actually.”

Lawmakers, according to Trump, were fully aware of US actions.

“We have good support congressionally,” he asserted, while declining to provide further details about who knew what and when.

Also Read: White House Names Marco Rubio To Head US Post-Operation Plan For Venezuela