MAR-A-LAGO – In a development that has sent shockwaves through global diplomacy, President Donald Trump stated this weekend that the United States will take administrative control of Venezuela for an indefinite period. The declaration follows the spectacular military operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, who is now being held on American soil.
Direct Control from Washington
During a press conference at his Florida residence, Trump was emphatic that Venezuela would be managed by a group appointed by Washington.
”We are going to govern the country until we can make a safe, proper, and sensible transition,” the President stated.
When questioned about who exactly would hold power in Caracas, Trump pointed to members of his own cabinet: “The people standing right behind me, we are going to govern.”
The “Takeover” of Oil
The most intense controversy, however, centers on the economic plans for the South American nation. Trump declared his intention to bring the “greatest oil companies in the world,” based in the U.S., to exploit Venezuelan reserves immediately.
The Justification: Trump claims that Venezuela “stole” American oil in the past.
The Branding: The President dubbed this new foreign policy the “Don-roe Doctrine”, a direct nod to the Monroe Doctrine (“America for the Americans”), reinforcing absolute U.S. dominance over the Western Hemisphere.
Critique of Opponents and Regional Threats
Surprising even his allies, Trump did not spare María Corina Machado, the primary leader of the Venezuelan opposition, stating it would be “very difficult” for her to lead the country because, in his view, she lacks the necessary internal respect.
Furthermore, the President sent an aggressive message to other regional leaders, such as Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, and warned that any interim leader appointed in Venezuela would “pay a very high price” if they did not fully cooperate with Washington’s directives.
International Reaction
While supporters celebrate the fall of the Maduro regime, critics and international organizations are labeling the move “modern-day imperialism.” The governments of China and Russia have denounced the intervention as illegal, while the New York Times described the offensive as “reckless” and a landmark of “unbound coercion” in Latin America.