US now deciding next steps for Venezuela, says Trump

The US is now deciding next steps for Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Saturday on Fox News, adding: “We’ll be involved in it very much.”

“We can’t take a chance in letting somebody else run and just take over what he left, or left off,” Mr Trump said in the interview with Fox News hours after the capture.

He said Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were aboard the US warship Iwo Jima and heading to New York, where they will face prosecution.

Mr Trump, who was set to speak on Saturday morning, posted on his Truth Social account a photo of Mr Maduro blindfolded and in a sweatsuit aboard the ship.

He claimed that Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodriguez had been sworn in as president shortly before he spoke to reporters and added she had spoken with US secretary of state Marco Rubio.

“She is essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again. Very simple,” Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump said the operation in Venezuela “wasn’t meant to be” a message to Mexico, but then he has proposed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that the US “take out” cartels in her country and suggested the US might take action.

“We’re very friendly with her, she’s a good woman. But the cartels are running Mexico. She’s not running Mexico. The cartels are running Mexico,” Mr Trump said.

He said he has asked Ms Sheinbaum numerous times, “Would you like us to take out the cartels?” but she has said no.

“Something’s going to have to be done with Mexico,” Mr Trump said.

US Vice President JD Vance said in a statement on X: “The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.

“Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation.”