US Prepared to Use Force for Cooperation with Venezuela
Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed US senators that the United States is ready to use force if necessary to secure cooperation from Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, as reported by Bloomberg.
“If all else fails, we are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation,” Rubio stated in remarks intended for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “While we hope it doesn’t come to that, our commitment to the American people and our responsibilities in this region remains paramount.”
Rubio is set to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday morning to discuss US policy toward Venezuela.
According to ABC News, Rubio clarified that the U.S. is not currently in a state of war with Venezuela and acknowledged some level of cooperation from the leadership of Venezuela’s socialist government. However, he emphasized that the Trump administration might not hesitate to apply additional force if needed, especially following a law enforcement operation in Caracas on January 3 that resulted in the capture of dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Rubio is expected to advocate for President Trump’s choice to detain Maduro, who is now held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn facing multiple drug-terrorism charges. Reports indicate that Rubio will also defend various actions taken by the Trump administration, including military operations against drug-traffickers and the seizure of sanctioned oil tankers.
According to his statement, “There is no war with Venezuela, nor are we occupying the country. There are no U.S. troops on the ground—this is simply law enforcement support.”
Rubio indicated that Rodriguez understands the situation concerning Maduro and that her self-interest aligns with the U.S.’s primary goals.
Recently, President Trump told reporters that Rodriguez has been cooperating and is in frequent contact with Rubio. In contrast, Rodriguez has made statements suggesting a contradictory position, asserting that “enough is enough” regarding U.S. directives. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Rodríguez insisted that Venezuela “does not accept orders from any external force.”
When asked about Rodriguez’s statements, Trump mentioned having a “good relationship” with her.
Shortly after, Rodriguez seemed to soften her stance, unveiling plans to engage directly with U.S. authorities based on mutual respect. “To reiterate what President Trump has said, we have established channels of communication grounded in civility, along with a specific agenda with Secretary Rubio,” she remarked during an official visit to a Caracas hospital.
