US President Donald Trump has threatened to launch secondary strikes on Venezuela in case the interim government does not cooperate with the US efforts to get the country fixed.
Trump made these comments on board Air Force One, raising the possibility of secondary US military interventions in Latin America and hinted at possible actions against Colombia, Cuba and Mexico if they do not reduce the flow of illicit drugs to the US.
Trump made these comments while raising the possibility of US military interventions in Latin America and warning Colombia, Cuba and Mexico over illicit drugs flowing to the US. “Operation Colombia sounds good to me,” Trump said. He also said that Cuba, a close ally of Venezuela, “looks like it’s ready to fall” without needing US military action.
Maduro’s capture has triggered massive international condemnation and sparked uncertainty about the future of the oil-rich South American nation.
Trump indicated that his administration will work with remaining members of the Maduro government to combat drug trafficking and overhaul the country’s oil industry. Reports suggest the operation focused on narco-terrorism charges, though critics accuse the US of seeking control over Venezuela’s resources.
Top officials in Maduro’s government are still in charge and have called the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, a kidnapping. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and others have defied US demands.
“Here, there is only one President, whose name is Nicolás Maduro Moros. Let no one fall for the enemy’s provocations,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said in a national address.
Venezuelan officials reported over 80 deaths in the strikes. The Cuban government said 32 of its citizens were among those killed during the operation. Cuba confirmed it had provided security assistance to Maduro since his 2024 re-election, though details on personnel remain limited.
