The remarks, made in an interview with The Atlantic, come as Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s deposed president, was set to appear in a New York court on Monday to face charges of drug trafficking and weapons offenses. The U.S. has accused Maduro of leading a “narco-terrorist” regime, a claim the former Venezuelan leader has consistently denied.
Rodríguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president, appeared to adopt a conciliatory approach at her first cabinet meeting on Sunday. She extended an invitation to the U.S. to collaborate on what she called an agenda “orientated towards shared development within the framework of international law.” Backed by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and the military, she is scheduled to be formally sworn in as president on Monday in Caracas at 08:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
Despite Rodríguez’s overtures, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Washington is not at war with Venezuela. Rubio defended a U.S. military operation in Caracas on Saturday that resulted in Maduro and his wife being taken into custody and transported to the United States. Some Democratic lawmakers, however, criticized the action as an “act of war.”
In his interview with The Atlantic, Trump suggested that any change in Venezuela’s leadership would be an improvement over Maduro’s government. “Regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now. Can’t get any worse,” he said. He also reaffirmed plans to involve U.S. oil companies in rebuilding Venezuelan infrastructure, promising profits for both the companies and the country.
Maduro, who has led Venezuela since 2013 and heads the United Socialist Party, has faced frequent accusations of repressing opposition groups and undermining democratic processes. His government is widely considered illegitimate by both domestic opponents and foreign governments, following the disputed 2024 election.
Cuba, a longstanding ally of Maduro, condemned the U.S. operation, reporting that 32 “brave Cuban combatants” were killed during the attacks. The Cuban government announced two days of national mourning in response.
Rubio described the operation as a “law enforcement action” targeting drug trafficking organizations rather than an invasion of Venezuela. He noted that Maduro was captured on the ground by FBI agents and suggested that multiple U.S. levers of influence—including a “quarantine” on Venezuelan oil—would be used if Venezuela failed to make the “right decisions.”
Trump also issued threats toward Venezuela’s neighbor, Colombia, calling its president, Gustavo Petro, a “sick man” and not ruling out potential U.S. military action in the country.
Democratic leaders criticized the administration’s approach. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the operation as an unlawful military action conducted without congressional approval, warning it could set a dangerous precedent and impose significant costs on the American people.
In a joint statement, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain expressed concern that the U.S. actions “constitute an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security and endanger the civilian population.”
As Rodríguez prepares to assume the presidency, the political and diplomatic uncertainty in Venezuela remains profound. While the U.S. signals a willingness to exert pressure, Maduro’s allies, including the Venezuelan military, continue to hold significant influence within the country, complicating any immediate transition of power.