WASHINGTON – In a dramatic escalation of tensions, former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly demanded “total access” to Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil reserves, following controversial military operations that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump asserted that the United States required comprehensive access to Venezuela’s national resources to facilitate the country’s reconstruction. “We need total access. We need access to the oil and to other things in their country that allow us to rebuild their country,” Trump declared, despite lacking direct communication with Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez.
The political crisis intensified as Trump claimed American authority over the South American nation, stating unequivocally that the U.S. was “in charge” of Venezuela and working with recently sworn-in officials. His comments came amid contradictory statements from Caracas, where Rodríguez simultaneously demanded Maduro’s immediate release and recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate president during a National Defense Council session broadcast on state television.
Trump issued a stark warning to Rodríguez, suggesting she would face consequences “probably worse than Maduro” if she failed to cooperate with American demands. This threat echoed earlier comments made during a phone interview with The Atlantic, where the former president emphasized his administration’s hardline approach toward the Venezuelan leadership.
The situation developed rapidly after Maduro’s capture on Saturday morning, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly engaging in telephone diplomacy with Rodríguez. Trump characterized these interactions positively, noting that the acting president appeared “willing to do what we believe is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” while simultaneously acknowledging she had been “picked by Maduro” himself.
Rodríguez countered these claims by condemning U.S. military strikes on Caracas and other regions, describing them as a “savage attack” on Venezuela’s territorial integrity conducted specifically to capture Maduro, who is expected to appear in a New York courtroom on Monday.