Rubio Defends U.S. Actions Against Maduro

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Sunday in support of the recent U.S. arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He also challenged a reporter who seemed to be trying to create conflict during a press conference.

While appearing alongside Slovak Prime Minister Roberto Fico, Rubio responded to a question about Fico’s past criticisms of the U.S. operation against Maduro. The reporter’s query was, perhaps, aimed at turning Fico against the U.S., prompting Rubio to weigh in first, even while addressing various other questions from the same journalist.

“I think the reason you asked him was to see if you could, for example, turn him against us… Many nations weren’t pleased with our actions in Venezuela, and that’s understandable. It aligned with our national interest,” Rubio stated.

He added, addressing Fico, “There has to come a time when we’re not satisfied with some of your actions, and we’ll be honest about it. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends or partners.”

Importantly, Rubio emphasized the success of the operation, noting that Maduro was a “narco-terrorist” and acknowledging the mixed reactions from U.S. allies. “We made numerous offers to him,” he said. “And just look at what’s occurred in Venezuela since his departure. Sure, there’s a long road ahead, but I can confidently say it’s better than it was six weeks ago. Some may disagree, but now Venezuela seems to hold a chance for a brighter future that it didn’t have before,” he remarked.

This statement followed President Donald Trump’s recent praise of the military’s efforts during the operation to capture Maduro at Fort Bragg, where he highlighted the role of U.S. special forces.

Rubio mentioned that a “limited number” of U.S. diplomats are now in Caracas, working on resuming diplomatic ties with Venezuela.

President Trump elaborated on the efficiency of the operation, explaining how swiftly U.S. forces were able to infiltrate Maduro’s stronghold. “It only took minutes before he was taken out of there,” Trump noted. “It was like breaking through cardboard.”

The operation, which saw U.S. special forces successfully capture both Maduro and his wife on drug-related charges, did not result in any U.S. casualties, a point Trump reiterated with pride.

Maduro is currently facing serious federal charges in the U.S., including conspiracy related to narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, as well as weapons offenses. He is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City.