Washington, United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the U.S. Senate on Wednesday that Venezuela’s new leaders were moving toward closer ties with the United States, as lawmakers questioned him publicly for the first time since a U.S. raid this month seized President Nicolas Maduro.
Contacts with Venezuela’s interim leadership
Rubio said the Trump administration was working with Delcy Rodriguez, a Maduro ally who was sworn in as interim president after Maduro’s arrest, while warning of further military action if her government does not comply with U.S. demands.
Rubio, a former Florida senator and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the hearing that communications with Venezuela’s leaders were “very respectful and productive” and said the country was moving toward restoring ties with the United States. He said he believed the United States would be able to open a diplomatic presence in Venezuela quickly.
Focus on foreign influence
Rubio said the United States was holding discussions aimed at eroding and eliminating Iranian presence and Chinese and Russian influence in Venezuela, and said there were elements in the country that welcomed renewed relations with the United States.
Meeting with opposition leader
Rubio was due to meet at the State Department later on Wednesday with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, amid questions of whether Trump would install her as Venezuela’s leader to replace Maduro.
Congressional scrutiny and military authority
Two weeks ago, Trump’s fellow Republicans narrowly blocked a resolution that would have barred Trump from further military action in Venezuela without Congress’ authorization. Vice President JD Vance broke a tie.
Rubio told the committee Maduro had to be removed because Venezuela had become a base of operations for U.S. adversaries, including China, Russia and Iran, and said Maduro’s alleged cooperation with drug traffickers was affecting the region and the United States. Rubio said the situation “had to be addressed.”
Oil mechanism and transition goals
Rubio said the United States had set up a mechanism to sell Venezuelan oil in the short term but aimed to facilitate a transition to “a friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela” that ultimately chooses its leaders through free and fair elections.
Lawmakers cite communication gaps
Several members of Congress, including some Republicans and Democrats, have expressed frustration over what they describe as a lack of communication from Trump officials about major operations, including Maduro’s capture and the elimination of many foreign aid programs supported by Congress.
What should Congress require from the administration in terms of briefings on major foreign operations?
