By Ginika Igboke
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that the U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was aimed primarily at disrupting drug trafficking into the United States, adding that discussions about elections in Venezuela are “premature at this point.”
“We care about elections, we care about democracy, we care about all of that,” Rubio said in a Sunday interview. “But the No. 1 thing we care about is the safety, security, well-being and prosperity of the United States. That’s what we’re going to focus on first and foremost.”
Rubio spoke one day after President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and removed them from Venezuela.
No War With Venezuela, Rubio Says
Rubio rejected suggestions that the operation amounted to a war between the United States and Venezuela.
“There’s not a war,” he said. “We are at war against drug trafficking organizations, not a war against Venezuela.”
He echoed statements made by Trump and senior administration officials at a Saturday press conference, insisting that the strikes and Maduro’s capture were a law enforcement action rather than the start of a broader military conflict.
Trump, however, acknowledged on Saturday that the administration was prepared to escalate if necessary. “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” he said, while noting that no U.S. troops were currently stationed inside Venezuela.
Congressional Debate Over Authority
The operation sparked concern on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers from both parties warning it could lead to a costly new war. Democrats, in particular, criticized the administration for not notifying Congress or seeking authorization for the use of force in advance.
Rubio dismissed those concerns, saying congressional approval was not required. “We will seek congressional approval for actions that require congressional approval,” he said. “This is not an operation that required congressional approval.”
He added that the mission was comparable to actions taken by previous presidents over the past four decades. “The difference is that when it’s Donald Trump, all these Democrats go bonkers,” Rubio said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries strongly disagreed, arguing that the administration has not shown evidence of an imminent threat to justify the operation. “This was not simply a counternarcotics operation,” Jeffries said. “It was an act of war.”
Leadership Uncertainty in Venezuela
Rubio pointed to Venezuela’s disputed elections, which Maduro claimed to have won despite widespread evidence suggesting otherwise.
“Elections did happen. They lost them, and they didn’t count the votes—or refused to count the votes—and everyone knows it,” Rubio said, arguing that focusing on elections now was premature.
Trump said Saturday that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had been sworn in as president and was communicating with U.S. officials. Rodríguez later addressed Venezuelans, demanding Maduro’s release and declaring him “the only president of Venezuela.”
Some Republican lawmakers have urged the administration to support opposition figures, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, as Venezuela’s new leadership. Trump rejected that idea, saying Machado lacked sufficient support inside the country.
Rubio praised Machado as “fantastic” but said the administration was focused on immediate objectives rather than a full political transition. “The vast majority of the opposition is no longer present inside of Venezuela,” he said. “We have short-term things that have to be addressed right away.”
Rubio added that the U.S. expects more cooperation under Rodríguez’s interim leadership than it received under Maduro.
U.S. Role and National Interests
Trump announced Saturday that the United States would “run” Venezuela until a peaceful transfer of power could take place. Rubio clarified that the president was referring to guiding policy in a way that benefits both Venezuelans and U.S. national interests.
“We all wish to see a bright future for Venezuela, a transition to democracy,” Rubio said. “But what we’re talking about is what happens over the next two, three weeks, two, three months, and how that ties to the national interest of the United States.”
He emphasized that Maduro had consistently failed to cooperate with U.S. efforts to curb drug trafficking through Venezuela.
Looking ahead, Rubio outlined Washington’s demands. “You can’t flood this country with gang members. You can’t flood this country with drugs,” he said, accusing Venezuelan security forces of enabling trafficking routes from Colombia. He also warned against Venezuela becoming a base of operations for Iran, Russia, China, Hezbollah, or Cuban intelligence services.
Venezuela’s Oil Industry
Rubio also addressed Trump’s comments about opening Venezuela’s oil sector to U.S. investment. Trump said major U.S. energy companies could invest billions to repair the country’s deteriorating oil infrastructure.
“We don’t need Venezuela’s oil,” Rubio said, noting that the United States has ample domestic supply. However, he stressed that the administration wants to prevent U.S. adversaries from dominating Venezuela’s energy industry.
“What we’re not going to allow is for the oil industry in Venezuela to be controlled by adversaries of the United States,” Rubio said. “This is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live, and we’re not going to allow it to be a base of operation for our rivals.”
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