US President Donald Trump made extensive statements at a press conference held in Palm Beach, Florida, regarding the military operation carried out in Venezuela.
According to Modern.az, Trump stated that this operation should be an “open warning” to anyone who poses a threat to the US, and Washington “will never allow terrorists and criminals to go unpunished”.
According to the President, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was detained “in the dead of night”. Trump claimed that during the operation, most of the lights in Caracas were turned off, all military capabilities of the Venezuelan army were neutralized, and the US military acted in coordination with law enforcement agencies. According to him, air, land, and sea forces were used simultaneously, and this was a display of military power “unseen since World War II”.
Trump announced that Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are currently on a US-owned vessel and will eventually be taken to New York City. The President stated that they “will face the full force of American justice” and will be tried on US territory.
The US President also took a firm stance regarding the future governance of Venezuela. According to him, the US will effectively govern Venezuela until a secure and controlled political transition occurs in the country. Trump said that Washington “cannot risk the formation of a new government that is contrary to the interests of the Venezuelan people” and the goal is to ensure peace, freedom, and justice in the country.
Addressing economic issues, Trump stated that Venezuela's oil sector has been “completely destroyed” for years. He announced that the largest US oil companies will enter Venezuela, invest billions of dollars to restore the dilapidated oil infrastructure, and generate revenue from this sector. According to Trump, this process will be beneficial for both the Venezuelan economy and the US.
At the press conference, Trump linked the Maduro government to the Tren de Aragua criminal network, which is alleged to be active in US cities, and claimed that Venezuela has accepted foreign hostile forces in the region, as well as acquired “dangerous offensive weapons”. He stated that these factors posed a direct threat to the US.
