Close aides to ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro say they will continue governing the South American nation, defying the United States’ plan to run the country.
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said in a televised statement on Sunday that the country’s armed forces strongly condemn the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife, and the killing of numerous members of his security team, as well as soldiers, and civilians.
Padrino said the world should be on alert because the US action represents a serious threat to the global order. He added that Venezuela rejects what he called the “colonialist pretension” that Washington wants to implement.
The administration of US President Donald Trump carried out a military operation in Venezuela on Saturday, detaining Maduro and his wife.
The couple was transferred to a detention center in New York, where they are expected to stand trial for drug-trafficking and other charges.
Trump said that the US is going to “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” is ensured.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ABC News on Sunday that “no sanctioned oil can come in and out until they make changes to the governance of that entire industry.”
Regarding the reconstruction of Venezuela’s oil industry, Rubio said, “we have a quarantine on the oil that means their economy will not be able to move forward until the conditions that are in the national interest of the United States and the interest of the Venezuelan people are met.” He added, “We want them to have an oil industry where the wealth goes to the people.”