{"id":8858,"date":"2026-01-03T18:13:43","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T18:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/01\/03\/venezuela-latest-trump-says-us-will-run-venezuela-until-safe-transition-can-take-place-bbc\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T18:13:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T18:13:43","slug":"venezuela-latest-trump-says-us-will-run-venezuela-until-safe-transition-can-take-place-bbc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/01\/03\/venezuela-latest-trump-says-us-will-run-venezuela-until-safe-transition-can-take-place-bbc\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuela latest: Trump says US will ‘run’ Venezuela until ‘safe transition can take place’ – BBC"},"content":{"rendered":"
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    Trump says running Venezuela is putting ‘America First’<\/span>published at 18:13 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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    A short time ago in the press conference with US President Donald Trump, a reporter asked how running Venezuela would be putting “America first”.<\/p>\n

    “I think it is,” Trump replied. “We want to surround ourselves with good neighbours. We want to surround ourselves with stability.” <\/p>\n

    “We have tremendous energy in that country, it’s very important that we protect it,” he said. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    What Trump said about Venezuela operation<\/span>published at 18:00 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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    We’ve just been hearing from Donald Trump after the US launched strikes on Venezuela and captured its President, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores. Here are the key lines:<\/p>\n

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    • US to ‘run’ Venezuela: <\/b>Trump says the US is “going to run” Venezuela until “a safe, proper and judicious transition” of power. He was pressed on how exactly the US would do this, but did not provide detail <\/li>\n
    • Oil infrastructure: <\/b>He also says US companies will go into Venezuela to fix its oil infrastructure and “start making money for the country” <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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      • US prepared for second attack: <\/b>He says the US is prepared to stage a second attack on Venezuela, but it is probably not necessary <\/li>\n
      • A ‘partnership’: <\/b>Trump then spoke of a “partnership” between the US and Venezuela, which he says will make Venezuelans “rich, independent and safe”. He referred to Maduro as an “illegitimate dictator” <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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        • What’s next?: <\/b>Maduro and his wife are being taken to New York to face drug trafficking-related charges, the US president adds. Maduro has previously denied being the leader of a drug cartel <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Trump says Venezuela VP Delcy Rodr\u00edguez is ‘willing to work with US’. Who is she?<\/span>published at 17:49 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

          <\/span><\/header>\n

          <\/span><\/span>Vanessa Buschschl\u00fcter<\/strong>
          Latin America and Caribbean editor, News Online<\/span><\/p>\n

          We just heard US President Donald Trump say a “group of people” will take over the running of Venezuela until such a time that a “safe, proper and judicious transition” can be ensured.<\/p>\n

          When pressed by reporters as to who inside Venezuela would form part of that group, Trump said his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had been talking to Delcy Rodr\u00edguez.<\/p>\n

          Rodr\u00edguez has been Maduro’s vice-president and was the first official to speak out publicly after the US strikes. She urged the US to provide a proof of life for Maduro and his wife. <\/p>\n

          The message was conveyed in audio format only and quickly led to speculation that Rodr\u00edguez may have left Venezuela. Sources told the Reuters news agency she was in Russia, which the Russian foreign minister denounced as a “fake” report.<\/p>\n

          Trump said that Rodr\u00edguez had expressed her willingness to do “whatever the US asks”.<\/p>\n

          This may come as a surprise to some. Rodr\u00edguez and her brother Jorge, who leads the country’s National Assembly, have long been among the most ardent defenders of the Maduro government. <\/p>\n

          While it is conceivable that Rodr\u00edguez has agreed to co-operate with the Trump administration to save her own skin \u2013 Trump said the US was prepared carry out a second wave of strikes if necessary \u2013 she will not be seen as someone willing to implement change.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          ‘If I lived in Havana and I was in government, I’d be concerned’ – Rubio<\/span>published at 17:45 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          The press conference is now finished, but we’re going to bring you a few more lines from it. <\/p>\n

          Fielding a question from a reporter who said he was from Cuba, Trump told him “Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about”.<\/p>\n

          “We want to help the people in Cuba, we want to also help the people that were forced out of Cuba.<\/p>\n

          Secretary of State Marco Rubio interjected that “when the President speaks, you should take him seriously”, adding many of the guards who helped protect Maduro were Cuban.<\/p>\n

          “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government I’d be concerned at least,” Rubio added. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Trump says it would be ‘very tough’ for Machado to be Venezuela’s leader<\/span>published at 17:41 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          Trump is asked if he has been in contact with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. <\/p>\n

          He says he hasn’t spoken to her. It would be “very tough” for Machado to be the leader of Venezuela, he adds.<\/p>\n

          Though she is a “very nice woman”, he says, “she doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country”.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Trump pressed on how US will run Venezuela<\/span>published at 17:31 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          Trump is now taking questions. He’s asked if the US running Venezuela means US troops will be on the ground.<\/p>\n

          He says “we’re not afraid of boots on the ground” and the US military had “boots on the ground last night at a very high level”.<\/p>\n

          “We’re going to make sure that country is run properly,” he adds.<\/p>\n

          Trump is also asked what exact mechanism he will be using to run the country. He says “we’re designating people right now” and “we’re going to let you know who those people are”.<\/p>\n

          He is then asked who will run Venezuela. He gestures his hand towards himself and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as he says “it’s largely going to be for a period time the people that are standing right behind me”.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Secretary of State Rubio says Maduro had ‘multiple opportunities’ to avoid this<\/span>published at 17:28 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          \"US<\/span>Image source, <\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

          We’re now hearing from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. <\/p>\n

          He says Maduro is not the legitimate president. It is “not just us saying it”, he says, adding the first Trump administration and the Biden administration also said the same. <\/p>\n

          Maduro is also not recognised by the EU and multiple countries around world, Rubio says.<\/p>\n

          He describes the Venezuelan president as a “fugitive of American justice”, with a $50m reward. <\/p>\n

          “I guess we saved ourselves $50m,” Rubio says, before Trump chimes in with: “We should make sure… don’t let anybody claim it.”<\/p>\n

          Rubio continues by saying that Maduro had “multiple opportunities” to avoid this, but chose instead to “act like a wild man” and “play around”. <\/p>\n

          He describes Maduro as a man who decided to “invite Iran into his country” and “flood the US with gang members”.<\/p>\n

          Maduro thought nothing would happen, Rubio says, before adding that Trump is “not a game player”. <\/p>\n

          When Trump says he is going to address a problem, he actions it, Rubio adds.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Maduro and his wife ‘gave up’ before being taken into custody – Gen Caine<\/span>published at 17:25 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          The US military maintained “totally the element of surprise”, having dismantled and disabled Venezuelan air defence systems, says General Caine.<\/p>\n

          He says they arrived at Maduro’s compound at 01:01 ET and isolated the area. On arrival there, the helicopters “came under fire”, and they responded with “overwhelming force”, he says.<\/p>\n

          One helicopter was hit but all US aircraft have been able to return home, he says. <\/p>\n

          Maduro and his wife then “gave up” and were taken into custody by the Department of Justice, says Caine, and at 03:29 ET they boarded the USS Iwo Jima. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Months of intelligence work to uncover where Maduro lived, Gen Caine says<\/span>published at 17:22 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          \"Gen<\/span>Image source, <\/span>Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

          General Dan Caine now takes the podium. He shares some details of the planning for the operation, dubbed “operation absolute resolve”.<\/p>\n

          He calls it “discreet” and “precise”, and says it required “every component” of the joint forces, including soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and others “working in unison” with intelligence agencies and law enforcement.<\/p>\n

          He adds the operation leveraged “unmatched” intelligence capabilities and “years of experience in hunting terrorists”.<\/p>\n

          Gen Caine says the “extraction” was so precise it required more than 150 aircraft all coming together in the right place and time. <\/p>\n

          On the preparation work, he refers to “months” of intelligence work uncovering details about Maduro, including where he lived and what he ate.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          America ‘safer’ and ‘prouder’ today – Trump<\/span>published at 17:07 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand that what happened to Maduro could happen to them, Trump says.<\/p>\n

          “Venezuelan people are free again,” he adds. He also says America is a “safer” and “prouder nation” today. <\/p>\n

          He then hands over to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who begins by describing the operation this morning as “a massive joint military and law enforcement raid, flawlessly executed”. <\/p>\n

          Maduro “had his chance, just like Iran had their chance”, Hegseth says, but adds that he “effed around” and found out.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          US president describes achievements with typical bravado<\/span>published at 16:59 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          <\/span><\/span>Anthony Zurcher<\/strong>
          North America correspondent<\/span><\/p>\n

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          \"Donald<\/span>Image source, <\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

          Donald Trump is describing the successful military operation in Venezuela with typical bravado. It was a display of \u201coverwhelming military power\u201d and a \u201cspectacular assault\u201d.<\/p>\n

          He called it \u201cone of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history\u201d.<\/p>\n

          Supporting those boasts is the fact that no American military personnel were killed and, by Trump\u2019s account, no US military equipment was destroyed, while the objective \u2013 capturing Nicolas Maduro and his wife \u2013 was achieved.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          It seems the US now owns Venezuela\u2019s future \u2013 for better or worse<\/span>published at 16:56 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          <\/span><\/span>Anthony Zurcher<\/strong>
          North America correspondent<\/span><\/p>\n

          If there were any doubts about the breadth of American involvement in Venezuela after the US action to remove Nicolas Maduro from power, Donald Trump has laid them to rest.<\/p>\n

          \u201cWe are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

          It\u2019s a bold statement to make, given the economic and political turmoil the South American nation now faces. <\/p>\n

          Trump, a sharp critic of the US invasion of Iraq, now seems to be in the business of nation-building \u2013 and dealing with the consequences of American military action.<\/p>\n

          In the words of one of the American architects of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell, \u201cIf you break it, you own it.\u201d<\/p>\n

          The US now owns Venezuela\u2019s future \u2013 for better or worse.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Trump attacks Maduro as ‘illegitimate dictator’<\/span>published at 16:56 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          Trump claims the US “partnership” with Venezuela will make the people of Venezuela “rich, independent and safe”, adding Venezuelans living in the US will be “extremely happy”.<\/p>\n

          “They’re not going to suffer any more,” he tells the news conference.<\/p>\n

          Trump calls Maduro an “illegitimate dictator” who was responsible for the bringing of “colossal amounts of deadly illicit drugs” into the US, and accuses him of overseeing the Cartel de los Soles cartel. <\/p>\n

          Maduro has previously vehemently denied being a cartel leader.<\/p>\n

          Trump adds that Maduro and his wife are on a ship heading to New York, and a decision “will be made soon” between New York and Miami. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          US ready to stage second ‘much larger’ attack on Venezuela if needed, says Trump<\/span>published at 16:51 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          Trump now turns now to oil. He claims the oil business in Venezuela has been a “bust”, and that large US companies are going to go into the country to fix the infrastructure and “start making money for the country”.<\/p>\n

          He adds the US is “ready” to stage a second “and much larger” attack on the country if needed.<\/p>\n

          He says they were initially prepared to do a “second wave” and had assumed it would be necessary, that but given the success of last night’s attack, it probably would now not be.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Trump says Venezuelan forces were ‘waiting for us’<\/span>published at 16:49 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          \"Donald<\/span>Image source, <\/span>Reuters<\/span><\/p>

          Image caption, <\/span><\/p>\n

          Donald Trump continues to speak, flanked by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

          Trump thanks the military for their “breathtaking speed, power, precision and competence”.<\/p>\n

          He says these “highly trained warriors” were operating in collaboration with US law enforcement.<\/p>\n

          Venezuelan forces were “waiting for us”, he says, with “many ships out”. <\/p>\n

          Despite being in a “ready position”, Trump says Venezuelan forces were “completely overwhelmed and very quickly incapacitated”.<\/p>\n

          Not a single US serviceman was killed, and no equipment was lost, he adds.<\/p>\n

          Trump says the US has “knocked out 97% of drugs coming in by sea”, and alleges that each boat carrying drugs kills 25,000 people on average. <\/p>\n

          He also alleges that most of the drugs come from Venezuela. The BBC has not verified these figures. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          US will run Venezuela until ‘safe, proper and judicious transition’ – Trump<\/span>published at 16:47 GMT<\/span><\/p>\n

          Breaking<\/span><\/p>\n

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          Trump says the US is “going to run” Venezuela until “such a time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition” of power. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Maduro and his wife ‘now face American justice’, says Trump<\/span>published at 16:46 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          Trump says the US force went against “a heavily fortified military fortress” in the heart of Caracas to bring Maduro “to justice”.<\/p>\n

          He compares it to previous military operations against Iran – including against nuclear targets. <\/p>\n

          “No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday,” he says.<\/p>\n

          All Venezuelan military capabilities were “rendered powerless” in the attack, he says. <\/p>\n

          He adds the lights of Caracas were turned off during the operation “due to a certain expertise” that America has. <\/p>\n

          Both Maduro and his wife “now face American justice” says Trump, adding they have been indicted in the southern district of New York for their “campaign of deadly narco-terrorism” against the US and its citizens. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Trump calls Venezuela military operation ‘extraordinary’<\/span>published at 16:43 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          Trump begins by referring to the “extraordinary” military operation conducted in the capital of Venezuela overnight and into this morning at his direction.<\/p>\n

          He says “overwhelming” American military power by “air, land and sea” was used. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Trump news conference begins<\/span>published at 16:39 GMT<\/span><\/p>\n

          Breaking<\/span><\/p>\n

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          \"U.S.<\/span>Image source, <\/span>re<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

          Stick with us as we bring you the key lines. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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          Maduro expected to land in New York later today, say sources<\/span>published at 16:35 GMT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

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          Two sources tell the BBC’s US news partner, CBS, that the US military plane carrying Maduro is expected to land later today at New York Stewart airport.<\/p>\n

          It’s a public military international airport in Orange County, New York, located in the Hudson Valley, about 60 miles north of Manhattan. <\/p>\n

          The sources say he\u2019s in custody of the US military and is expected to be turned over to federal authorities when he lands. <\/p>\n

          Maduro is expected to be arraigned in New York Federal court in the southern district of New York next week – possibly as early as Monday.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Trump says running Venezuela is putting ‘America First’published at 18:13 GMT A short time ago in the press conference with US President Donald Trump, a reporter asked how running Venezuela would be putting “America first”. “I think it is,” Trump replied. “We want to surround ourselves with good neighbours. We want to surround ourselves with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8859,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}