US now deciding next steps for Venezuela, says Trump
The US is now deciding next steps for Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Saturday on Fox News, adding: “We’ll be involved in it very much.”
“We can’t take a chance in letting somebody else run and just take over what he left, or left off,” Mr Trump said in the interview with Fox News hours after the capture.
He said Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were aboard the US warship Iwo Jima and heading to New York, where they will face prosecution.
Mr Trump, who was set to speak on Saturday morning, posted on his Truth Social account a photo of Mr Maduro blindfolded and in a sweatsuit aboard the ship.
Mr Trump said the operation in Venezuela “wasn’t meant to be” a message to Mexico, but then he has proposed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that the US “take out” cartels in her country and suggested the US might take action.
“We’re very friendly with her, she’s a good woman. But the cartels are running Mexico. She’s not running Mexico. The cartels are running Mexico,” Mr Trump said.
He said he has asked Ms Sheinbaum numerous times, “Would you like us to take out the cartels?” but she has said no.
“Something’s going to have to be done with Mexico,” Mr Trump said.
US Vice President JD Vance said in a statement on X: “The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.
“Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation.”
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He is a total fruit bat, and a dangerous one. Its time he was stopped. What oil rick country is next? BEWARE SCOTLAND
Greenland, I think, is next.
Panama, Canada, UK is a dead cert but via that treasonous snake running reform or the tory party.
Russia is 8th for oil and 1st for gas.
Is Trump.out of control? Who does he answer to? Mexico is now in his sights! How much was Congress invoved in this action.No wonder he admires Putin and Netanyahu so much,neither who believe invasion of another country is unacceptable under International Law!!
“How much was Congress invoved {sic} in this action.” Very little initially, but there is nothing unconstitutional about that. To quote another: “While the President’s power is necessarily limited, it is significant and ensures that, even absent a Congressional Authorization for Use of Military Force, the President retains the ability to use military force in order to defend the national security of the United States.” I recall from my first US Constitution law class while attending law school in Chicago but can’t offhand remember the name of the early SCOTUS holding that a President can take initial military action absent Congressional approval, but… Read more »
What happens to Venezuela is none of the USA’s business. It is entirely up to the Venezuelan people how they determine their country.
To the people of the USA: for god’s sake are you seriously going to allow your country to end up like Putin’s Russia? Stand you for your democracy before its too late. You have the second amendment put it to good use!!
Tough one as Maduro stole power. Listening interviews on BBC and the people are happy with his deposal but understandably cautious..
Just as many Kurds would have welcomed the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, that didn’t make the invasion legal.
Strangely former president bush who took the US and UK to the second Iraq war somehow seems the better guy in front of Trump.
Should Canada have done the same to Trump when he tried to cling to power in 2020?
What exactly do you mean by your comment: “You have the second amendment put it to good use!!”
The second amendment wasn’t just intended to ensure a new country could defend itself if Britain tried to take back control, it was also intended to provide a final check against any potentially oppressive or tyrannical government.
Barely disguised oil grab, pure and simple. He clearly thinks Putins acquiescence is bought and paid for…but is it ?
What if Trump has had enough of Putin refusing to do a deal and decides to disappear him too?
Somehow feels the other way. Putin seems to hold more power in this couple relationship.
Unless what’s still to be released by the DoJ is the same thing Putin has on Don.
This criminal should face the Hague sooner rather than later
Brothers in Arms; Twmp, Putin and Xi the Three Amigos ride off into a possible nuclear sunset, he keeps raising the stakes…one could fit a couple of nuclear torpedoes to smuggler’s mini-sub and a-la African Queen sink a ‘Twmp Battleship’…
This really is a warning to every gold-plated democratic country that regardless of any previous commitment the saviour of the Western World has decided to rob bomb, kidnap, murder and ransack just like before…All those Indian chief spirit guides will be advocating revenge…I wonder how much Twmp’s life is worth in narco-dollars…
Just now said US now runs this country.
It appears the US is going to bully it’s way around the world (again…)- and we thought Russia and China were the threat. Never before has a revamped UN been needed – minus the pain in the arse Security Council.
Trump could not care less about drug trafficking. That’s just an excuse. He smells oil …. lots of it!
Addendum: Noriega, former ‘strong man’ and de facto ruler of Panama and heavily involved in drug trafficking against the interests of the United States. President George H.W. Bush ordered “the U.S. invasion of Panama in December 1989, which resulted in the capture of dictator Manuel Noriega.” “President George H.W. Bush did not get explicit prior congressional authorization for the 1989 invasion of Panama to capture Manuel Noriega; he acted under his authority as Commander-in-Chief, citing self-defense and protecting American lives”. So, there is precedence for a later United States President to do pretty much the same thing.
Not really. Two wrongs don’t make a right, and precedent does not equal legality. Venezuela is not subject to American law. International law, as set out in the UN Charter, explicitly prohibits this kind of intervention, except in very narrow circumstances such as self-defence or with UN authorisation. The fact that this principle has been violated before; Panama, Iraq, Ukraine, does not justify violating it again. It only weakens the system further. If regime change or law enforcement beyond borders is normalised, where does it stop? Drug trafficking is not confined to Venezuela; it also involves Colombia and Mexico. Should… Read more »
Everyone can debate all they want to, but the bottom line is that Trump will send troops into whatever country he chooses and murder whoever he chooses.
America has been rougue for decades, the question is will the rest of the world have the spine to do anything?
I doubt it as the Brits seem to roll over and play good lapdog.