Donald Trump has threatened possible military action against Colombia, as he warned Venezuela’s new leader that he faces consequences “possibly even bigger than Maduro.”
Dawn’s warning came as the captured Venezuelan dictator prepares to appear in a US court on Monday.
Trump also rekindled fears of US expansionism by insisting Washington “needs” Greenland while refusing to use force to secure the strategically important Arctic region.
Nicolas Maduro is due to make his first appearance in US federal court in New York on Monday after being captured by US forces in a surprise weekend operation in Caracas.
The ousted dictator, who has denied all wrongdoing, is scheduled to appear before a Manhattan judge at noon on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy.
His wife, Cilia Flores, was also captured and charged with similar federal charges.
shock strike
There is an atmosphere of panic among the people of Venezuela due to the ‘earthquake’ explosion done by American commandos.
Read the latest on Maduro’s arrest.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on social media on Saturday that Maduro and Flores will soon confront the full force of American justice within American courts.
U.S. prosecutors allege that Maduro used his position for more than two decades to facilitate the flow of cocaine into the United States.
The charges were first filed during Trump’s first term and were updated after his capture.
As the court appearance approached, Trump dramatically escalated his rhetoric on Sunday, warning incoming Venezuelan leader Delsey Rodriguez that she could face an even harsher fate if she fails to cooperate with Washington.
Trump told The Atlantic in a phone interview,
“If she doesn’t do the right thing, she’s going to pay a very big price, maybe even bigger than Maduro.”
Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president and is backed by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and military, is expected to be sworn in as interim president in Caracas on Monday morning.
He has publicly called for cooperation with the US but has also rejected claims that Venezuela would hand over control of its natural resources.
“We invite the U.S. government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation orientated toward shared development within the framework of international law,” Rodríguez said at his first Cabinet meeting.
However, Trump suggested the United States was already under control.
“Don’t ask me who’s in charge because I’ll give you a very controversial answer,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“It means we’re in charge.”
He said American oil companies would come back to Venezuela to rebuild its energy sector, adding, “They’re going to spend billions of dollars and they’re going to pull oil out of the ground.”
The president also left open the possibility of further US strikes in Venezuela if the new leadership does not comply with US demands to curb drug trafficking and open up the oil industry.
At the same time, Trump stepped up his threats to Venezuela’s neighbours during remarks on Air Force One and also took aim at Colombia.
“Colombia is also very sick, run by a sick man who loves to make cocaine and sell it to the United States, and he won’t do that for very long,” Trump said.
Asked if military action was an option, he replied, “That sounds good to me.”
US and media sources have suggested that Maduro’s public demonstrations recently have helped strengthen Washington’s resolve.
Who is Nicolas Maduro, and how did he transition from being a bus driver to becoming the president of Venezuela?
Maduro, 63, has been Venezuela’s president since 2013, when he took over from Hugo Chavez – widely considered his mentor.
Born in Caracas, the hard-left leader was a bus driver before starting his political career in Venezuela.
He became a trade union leader and then later served as Chávez’s foreign minister and vice president.
Maduro was elected president after Chávez died from cancer.
Unlike Chávez, who enjoyed immense popularity during his rule, Maduro does not resonate with the people.
He is widely considered an authoritarian leader and many in the West view him as a tyrant.
He was in charge in the 2010s when Venezuela’s economy collapsed; he brutally cracked down on all protesters and was accused of election rigging.
The US claims that both the 2018 and 2024 national elections should be cancelled due to interference claims.
Recently, tensions between Maduro and the United States have increased due to many reasons, the main ones being drugs and migration.
In 2018, terrorists attempted to assassinate Maduro by sending explosive-laden drones over the top of a rally on a Caracas avenue.
He was seen singing and dancing at public events, behaviour that was reportedly interpreted by Trump’s allies as mockery and carelessness in the face of repeated US warnings.
Reports suggest that the demonstration served as a means to challenge Trump’s deception, ultimately leading to the action.
Maduro appeared unperturbed after his arrest, wishing officials “Happy New Year” during the parade walk and making peace signs as he arrived in New York.
He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, which is notorious for housing inmates like El Chapo, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Meanwhile, in the same interview with The Atlantic, Trump fuelled fresh concerns about US expansionism, saying Washington “needs” Greenland and ruling out the use of force to secure the strategically important Arctic region.
“We urgently require Greenland,” Trump said.
“We need it for defence.”
Trump asserted that Russian and Chinese ships encircled the island, underscoring its crucial role in ensuring US national security.
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