Trump said the US would not allow another leader to take over Venezuela without safeguarding the interests of its people. He added that the US presence would continue in Venezuela during the transition period.
President Trump holds press conference following US military strike on Venezuela.
India Today World Desk
New Delhi,
Edited By: Anuja Jha
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the United States would “run” Venezuela for the time being following overnight US strikes that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro.
Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Trump claimed Washington would oversee the country until a transition is put in place, though he offered no details on how this would work. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said.
Trump opened the briefing by praising the US military operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, carried out overnight, calling it “one of the most stunning attacks and effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.”
“No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday, or frankly, in such a short period of time,” he said, adding that “all Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless” as US forces, working with law enforcement agencies, “successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night.”
The US president described Maduro’s leadership as “both horrible and breathtaking” and said the operation was aimed at securing peace and stability for Venezuelans. “We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela,” Trump said, also referring to Venezuelans living in the United States who, he claimed, want to return to their homeland.
Trump said the US would not allow another leader to take over Venezuela without safeguarding the interests of its people. “We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind [after] decades of that. We’re not going to let that happen,” he said.
He added that the US presence would continue during the transition period. “We’re there now... we’re going to stay until such time as a proper transition can take place.”
Trump also linked the operation to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, saying US companies would play a key role in rebuilding the sector. “We’re going to have our very large US oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” he said.
The president revealed that US forces were prepared for further military action if required. “We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so,” Trump said, noting that a second wave of strikes had been planned but was ultimately not needed.
- Ends
Nobel laureate urges installation of opposition leader Edmundo González
Curated by: Snehal Srivastava
Updated on: 3 January 2026
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado Photo: IMAGO/ Anadolu Agency
Summary of this article
María Corina Machado called for “popular sovereignty” and urged Edmundo González Urrutia to assume leadership as Venezuela’s legitimate president.
She said Nicolás Maduro now faces international justice and backed US action after his refusal of a negotiated exit.
González echoed her call, saying Venezuela is ready for a democratic transition and national reconstruction.
Venezuelan opposition politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado says the time has come for “popular sovereignty” in Venezuela and the installation of opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s leader.
In a letter addressed to the people of Venezuela and just posted on X, Machado said: “Nicolás Maduro from today faces international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans and against citizens of many other nations.”
“Given his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the government of the United States has fulfilled its promise to enforce the law.”
“The time has come for popular sovereignty and national sovereignty to rule in our country,” Machado says, adding: “We are going to restore order, free political prisoners, build an exceptional country, and bring our children back home.”
Gonzalez was voted as the legitimate president of Venezuela in the 2024 presidential election, according to Machado. Despite intense international allegations that the election was rigged, Maduro took office in January of last year.
“He must immediately assume his constitutional mandate and be recognized as commander-in-chief of the national armed forces by all the officers and soldiers who make up its ranks,” Machado added.
“Today we are prepared to enforce our mandate and take power. Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the democratic transition is achieved. A transition that needs ALL of us,” Machado said.
For his part, González shared Machado’s post and added:”Venezuelans, these are decisive hours, know that we are ready for the great operation of the reconstruction of our nation.”
Maria Corina Machado is most likely in Oslo, Norway, where she had travelled to collect her Nobel Peace Prize last month. It was her first public appearance after spending over a year in hiding in Venezuela.
The rescue operation to get Machado out of Venezuela involved disguises, two boats through choppy seas and a flight, the man who says he led it told the BBC.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado releases letter after Maduro's capture. Read the full text.
María Corina Machado released a letter addressing the Venezuelan people after leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured in a U.S. operation overnight Saturday.
Machado, an opposition leader who has mostly been in hiding over the last year, said Maduro will "face international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans and against citizens of many other nations."
"The time for freedom has come!" Machado, who was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, wrote in the letter posted on X.
It was not clear on Saturday if Machado, who escaped to Norway in a secret mission last month, was in Venezuela. She told CBS News in mid-December that she was "absolutely" supportive of President Trump's increasing military pressure on the Maduro regime and said she would welcome "more and more pressure so that Maduro understands that he has to go."
Read the full text of her letter, translated by CBS News, below.
María Corina Machado's letter to Venezuelans
Venezuelans, The time for freedom has come!
Nicolás Maduro from today will face international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans and against citizens of many other nations. Given his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the United States government has fulfilled its promise to enforce the law.
The time has come for popular sovereignty and national sovereignty to prevail in our country. We are going to restore order, release the political prisoners, build an exceptional country, and bring our children back home.
We have fought for years, we have given it our all, and it has been worth it. What was meant to happen is happening
This is the hour of the citizens. Those of us who risked everything for democracy on June 28th. Those of us who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate President of Venezuela, who must immediately assume his constitutional mandate and be recognized as Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces by all the officers and soldiers who comprise it.
Today we are ready to assert our mandate and take power. Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the democratic transition is complete. A transition that needs ALL of us.
To the Venezuelans who are currently in our country, be ready to put into action what we will be communicating to you very soon through our official channels.
To Venezuelans abroad, we need you to be mobilized, engaging the governments and citizens of the world and committing them from now on to the great operation of building the new Venezuela.
In these crucial hours, receive all my strength, my confidence, and my affection. We remain vigilant and in contact.
VENEZUELA WILL BE FREE! We go hand in hand with God, until the end.
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