Trump "We will govern Venezuela until the transfer of power... U.S. oil firms to enter"

After carrying out military operations against Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States plans to directly operate Venezuela during the interim governance period.

On the 3rd (local time), President Trump held a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and announced that the United States would govern Venezuela until a stable transfer of power to a new government is achieved after the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

"We will run the country (Venezuela) until we can have a safe, proper, and wise transfer (of power)," President Trump said. He stated that "we cannot risk someone taking charge of the country who does not care about the welfare of the Venezuelan people," expressing that the United States will take responsibility and govern.

President Trump also introduced a plan for U.S. oil companies to enter Venezuela, increase crude oil production, and finance the interim governance and national reconstruction through those revenues.

President Trump did not specify which political groups he would cooperate with, but he said about opposition leader María Corina Machado that "for now it is very difficult for her to become a leader," judging her not to be a realistic alternative. Some suggest Vice President Rodríguez as a partner who could cooperate with the United States.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Vice President Rodríguez after Maduro's ouster, and President Trump said he understood that she had succeeded to the presidency.

President Trump emphasized that the U.S. fleet is on standby in waters near Venezuela and that "the United States has all military options available." He added, "If necessary, we are prepared to carry out a much larger second strike."

He also explained that major U.S. oil companies would enter to restore Venezuela's oil infrastructure, and that the stationing of U.S. ground troops to protect this may be necessary.

President Trump said that the embargo on Venezuelan oil remains fully in place. He mentioned that strengthening U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere is one of the goals of this operation and warned that anti-American regimes such as Colombia and Cuba could be the next targets.

President Trump also said that on the grounds of drug trafficking, President Maduro and his wife would be tried in the United States, and that they would stand trial in New York or Miami.

President Trump also posted on social media a photo of President Maduro aboard the U.S. amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima, but the authenticity of the photo was not verified.

At around 1 a.m. (Eastern Time) that day, the United States deployed large forces to the presidential safe house in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, arrested President Maduro and his wife, airlifted them by helicopter, and moved them onto the waiting amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima.

In the operation named 'Operation Absolute Resolve,' the United States mobilized more than 150 aircraft that took off from 20 land and sea bases located in the Western Hemisphere.

It was announced that there were no U.S. deaths during the fighting.

President Maduro was bound and transported to the United States.

Shin Hyun-bo, Hankyung.com reporter greaterfool@hankyung.com