NEW DELHI, January 5 — The Trump administration offered conflicting messages on U.S. involvement in Venezuela, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio walking back the President’s claim that America would “run” the country, framing it instead as an enforcement of an existing “oil quarantine.”
A day after President Donald Trump stated the U.S. would be “running” Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented a more limited goal, emphasizing an “oil quarantine” rather than direct governance. The differing statements highlight internal tensions over the scope of U.S. intervention following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
What did Trump and Rubio say?
On Saturday, President Trump told reporters the U.S. would “run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” He pointed to his security team, saying, “We’re gonna be running it.”
On Sunday, Secretary Rubio sought to clarify those remarks in a CBS News interview. “We do not plan to govern Venezuela day to day,” Rubio said. He stated the U.S. role would focus on enforcing an existing “oil quarantine”—a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers—to pressure changes in Venezuela’s oil sector and drug trafficking.
Why does this ‘oil quarantine’ matter?
Rubio’s shift in language appears aimed at calming fears of a prolonged nation-building effort. He argued critics were applying a Middle East intervention framework to a different scenario. “This is not the Middle East. And our mission here is very different. This is the Western Hemisphere,” Rubio said.
The “quarantine” refers to ongoing U.S. sanctions and naval interdictions meant to halt Venezuela’s oil exports, a key revenue source. Rubio indicated this leverage would be the primary tool to force political and economic changes, not direct U.S. administration.
What happens next for Venezuela’s leadership?
While outlining a narrower operational focus, the administration maintained a hard line against Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez. In a separate interview with The Atlantic, President Trump warned Rodríguez, stating she would “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro” if she does not align with U.S. demands.
Rubio suggested a waiting period, stating, “We’re going to judge everything by what they do.” He said current U.S. military resources were sufficient for enforcement and did not rule out an expanded presence if needed.
FAQs
Q: What is an ‘oil quarantine’?
A: As described by Marco Rubio, it is the continued U.S. enforcement of sanctions that block Venezuela from exporting its oil, including the seizure of sanctioned tankers. It is a tool of economic coercion, not a direct military occupation.
Q: Is the US government now running Venezuela?
A: No, according to the Secretary of State. Marco Rubio explicitly said the U.S. does not plan to govern Venezuela “day to day,” contradicting President Trump’s earlier phrasing. The stated aim is to use economic pressure to influence change.
Q: Why is Marco Rubio clarifying the President’s statement?
A: The explanation is probably intended to allay worries both at home and abroad of yet another unrestricted U.S. military and nation-building commitment, which is unpopular across the political spectrum.
Q: What was Trump’s warning to Delcy Rodríguez?
A: President Trump stated that Venezuela’s interim leader would “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro” if she fails to “do what’s right,” indicating continued pressure on the post-Maduro leadership.
