US President Donald Trump’s assertion that Washington would “run” Venezuela following the capture of the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, raised urgent questions over its future, as the regime in Caracas looked to reassert power Sunday.
Maduro — who is sitting in a New York jail after a stunning US operation ended the strongman’s 12-year rule — reportedly drew the Trump administration’s ire by mocking US threats against him.
Washington is hoping to work with Venezuela’s interim leader and push for changes through its oil blockade, the US’ top diplomat said.
Handing power to the opposition was unrealistic, but leaving Maduro’s allies in power assumes “that stability can be achieved by repackaging the existing power structure,” an analyst told Americas Quarterly. “It cannot.”