Secretary of State Marco Rubio, known for his longstanding opposition to the far left, is playing a pivotal role in aiding President Trump as he navigates the repercussions of detaining Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
As the child of immigrants who escaped the Castro regime, Rubio is now confronted with the challenge of reinstating democracy in Venezuela and reducing the Cuban influence within its government.
Previous attempts to shift power during the last Republican administration complicated the situation in the Middle East and turned public sentiment sour. Rubio is optimistic that maneuvers in Venezuela won’t replicate the confusion seen in Iraq or Afghanistan.
“The entire foreign policy establishment thinks it’s all Libya, it’s all Iraq, it’s all Afghanistan. This is not the Middle East,” Rubio said during an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” “And our mission here is completely different.”
Unlike the George W. Bush administration that opted for invasions and ground troop deployments to support governments, Trump’s approach has been more targeted, focusing simply on capturing Maduro.
Rubio clarifies, “This is not de-Baathization,” referring to the removal of Saddam Hussein’s supporters in Iraq. “This is intentional and systematic,” he emphasized, sharing his views with Axios.
Supporters of Operation Absolute Solution draw comparisons to the successful 1989 operation that ousted former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega during George H.W. Bush’s presidency. Regardless of the approach, the results will likely shape the legacies of both Rubio and Trump.
“I think politics is the furthest thing from his mind, knowing his deeply held views about the evils of communism and socialism,” said Cesar Conda, a former adviser to Rubio during his first Senate campaign, noting Rubio’s motivation stems from a genuine concern for the people of Venezuela and regional stability.
Fluent in Spanish, Rubio was assigned to communicate with Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, after Maduro and his wife were captured during a pre-dawn operation.
He stated publicly that he does not recognize Rodríguez as the legitimate leader. “I’m not judging future actions based on what he says at a press conference. I want action,” Rubio mentioned during an interview on ABC News’ “This Week.”
“What do we do? Not what we say in public. What’s next? Will the drug supply stop? Will there be change?” He outlined the Trump administration’s expectations for Venezuela’s future.
At a press briefing, Trump indicated that Rubio would be instrumental in guiding Venezuela away from the Chavista regime that has long dominated the country.
When asked about who would govern Venezuela, Trump pointed to those standing behind him, including Rubio and Army Secretary Pete Hegseth, suggesting they would be key players for some time. “We’re going to take it back. It’s a dead country,” he stated.
Rubio later added, “What we’re working on is the direction we’re going to take.”
According to Rubio, the Trump administration intends to utilize an oil blockade against Venezuela as leverage. “We are using this leverage, and we will continue to use it,” he said on “This Week.”
“Until those in power enact changes benefiting the Venezuelan people and the interests of the United States, this system will remain unchanged.”
Aside from his role as Secretary of State, Rubio has also taken on numerous significant responsibilities at the request of the president, including serving as National Security Advisor, U.S. Archivist, and briefly as the Director of USAID from February to last August.
