Donald Trump says US ‘in charge’ of Venezuela after Maduro arrest

In a sweeping declaration that sent shockwaves across the hemisphere, US President Donald Trump proclaimed that the United States is now “in charge” of Venezuela following the dramatic arrest of Nicolás Maduro, warning that Washington stands ready to unleash further military force if authorities in Caracas fail to cooperate.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump painted a vivid picture of a perilous operation, describing how US helicopters flew through a hail of gunfire as American forces moved to seize Maduro. “It was a very dangerous operation,” he said, recalling bullets tearing through the air as aircraft came under attack. One helicopter was hit, he confirmed, but all US personnel returned safely. “We got everything back and nobody killed,” he said.

When asked who now governs Venezuela, Trump brushed aside the question with a blunt assertion of authority. “Don’t ask me who’s in charge,” he said. “It means we’re in charge.”

Trump said he has not personally spoken to Venezuela’s newly sworn-in leader, Delcy Rodríguez, though members of his administration have engaged with her. While noting that she is cooperating, the president made clear that Washington’s patience has limits. “If they don’t behave, we will do a second strike,” he warned, adding that the US had been fully prepared for another wave of military action.

Elections, Trump said, will not come until Venezuela is stabilised. Describing the nation as “dead right now,” he said the task ahead was to resurrect a country hollowed out by decay and dysfunction. “We have to bring it back,” he said.

Rebuilding Venezuela, Trump added, would be driven not by American taxpayers but by private capital, particularly from US oil companies eager to enter the market. He described a country where infrastructure has collapsed into ruin — pipes “laying all over the ground,” systems “rusty, rotten, most of it unusable.” Major corporations, he said, are lining up to invest. “They want to go in so badly,” he remarked. “We’re not going to invest anything.”

Trump also sought to reassure Venezuelans who fled to the United States, saying they would be “taken very good care of” as their homeland begins its recovery.

Standing alongside him, Senator Lindsey Graham offered fervent praise for the operation, calling it one of the most sophisticated missions ever executed by the US military. He likened it to the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and described Venezuela as a “drug caliphate” entrenched in America’s backyard.

Trump claimed the operation has already dealt a crushing blow to narcotics trafficking. “Drugs by sea are down 97 percent,” he said, adding that enforcement efforts would now intensify along land routes.

Rejecting accusations that the intervention was driven by oil or regime change, Trump cast the mission in grander terms. “It’s about peace on earth,” he said. “It’s our hemisphere.”

With IANS inputs