U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States expects to administer Venezuela “for years,” following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in New York after a U.S. military operation carried out on January 3.
In an interview with The New York Times published on Wednesday, Trump said Maduro’s removal had “terrified other leaders in the region,” as Washington simultaneously revealed details of a plan to manage Venezuela’s next phase.
Three-Phase Roadmap
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the adoption of a three-phase roadmap, the details of which were presented during congressional briefings over the past 24 hours.
According to Rubio, the plan includes:
- Stabilization Phase: Establishing full control over transitional authorities to prevent chaos and avert civil war.
- Recovery Phase: Opening Venezuela’s markets to U.S. and Western companies and launching a national reconciliation process, including amnesty for opposition figures.
- Transition Phase: Supervising the construction of a new civil society framework prior to transferring political power, without a defined timeline.
Oil Under U.S. Administration
Rubio said the United States will take control of “stranded” oil reserves inside Venezuela, estimated at between 30 and 50 million barrels. The oil will be sold at global market prices, while U.S. authorities will directly manage the revenues, citing the need to fund reconstruction efforts and prevent access by figures linked to the former government.
Rising Death Toll
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the death toll from U.S. airstrikes and the military operation has risen to 100, with a similar number of wounded, including civilians.
Cuba also confirmed that 32 Cuban military advisers were killed during the operation.
International Reactions
China and Russia continued to condemn the operation, describing it as an armed aggression and saying U.S. control over Venezuelan oil constitutes a violation of national sovereignty.
In an effort to ease regional tensions, Colombia’s president held a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, resulting in a temporary softening of U.S. military rhetoric toward neighboring countries, according to diplomatic sources.
