US Politics
Venezuela-Trump live: Marco Rubio refuses to say who is running country after Maduro capture
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio refused to say who is running Venezuela after its president, Nicolas Maduro, was captured by U.S. forces in an extraordinary military operation.
President Donald Trump declared that the U.S. would be running the South American country in the meantime at a Saturday press conference, but Rubio deflected questions on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday morning.
When asked who is running the country, Rubio did not give a clear answer.
“People keep fixating on that,” he said. “Here’s the bottom line on it… we expect to see changes in Venezuela, changes of all kinds long term, short term.”
More than 150 aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters and bombers, were involved in the attack on Caracas after Trump gave the order Friday night. Democrats have accused the president of launching the sweeping military action because of oil, not drugs.
Maduro and his wife arrived in New York Saturday night after being indicted on “narco-terrorism” charges.
The ousted Venezuelan leader will be held at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of his first court appearance, which could be as early as Monday.
With reporting from Rosali Hernandez in Caracas
Watch: Rubio asked on why the US needs to take over Venezuela’s oil industry
Marco Rubio was asked by NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Meet the Press, “Why does the U.S. need to take over the Venezuelan oil industry?”
Rubio said that the U.S. does not need to, and that there is “plenty of oil in the United States.”
Critics have said that the Trump administration’s attack on Venezuela is about oil, not drugs.
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 16:00
North Korea condemns US as ‘rogue and brutal’ for strikes on Venezuela
North Korea has denounced the U.S. strikes on Venezuela as “the most serious form of encroachment of sovereignty,” state news agency KCNA said on Sunday.
“The incident is another example that clearly confirms once again the rogue and brutal nature of the United States,” KCNA said, citing a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
Pyongyang said the current situation in Venezuela “caused a catastrophic consequence to ensuring the identity of the regional and international relations structure.”
The statement came after North Korea launched ballistic missiles earlier on Sunday, the day the leader of South Korea begins a state visit to China, Pyongyang’s chief ally.
Reuters4 January 2026 15:40
Rubio: ‘The Cuban government is a huge problem’
Marco Rubio said that the Cuban government is “a huge problem” and is in “a lot of trouble” when asked whether it was the Trump administration’s next target on NBC News’ Meet the Press.
“I’m not going to talk to you about what our future steps are going to be and our policies are going to be right now in this regard,” he added. “But I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime.”
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 15:25
‘We don’t have U.S. forces on the ground’ – Rubio
Marco Rubio appeared to try to turn down the temperature after claiming, “We don’t have U.S. forces on the ground.”
President Donald Trump said Saturday that “we’re not afraid of boots on the ground” when reporters asked him at a press conference.
Rubio said on NBC’s Meet the Press that U.S. forces were in Venezuela “for about two hours when they went to capture Maduro.”
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a force of 15,000 troops is on land in nearby countries “at a high state of readiness” if necessary.
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 15:15
Rubio says the U.S. will continue to strike suspected ‘narco’ vessels
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. would continue to target alleged drug boats and seize oil tankers to keep the pressure on Venezuela.
The Trump administration has been carrying out strikes on the boats since September, and has killed more than 100 people in the action.
“We will continue to target drug boats if they try to run towards the United States,” Rubio said on Meet the Press.
“We will continue to seize the boats that are sanctioned with court orders. We will continue to do that, and potentially other things, until the things we need to see addressed are addressed.”
Rhian Lubin4 January 2026 14:56
Rubio asked who is running Venezuela
On Saturday, Donald Trump said the US would be “running Venezuela” after capturing president Maduro.
However, it seems to not be as clear cut as this.
When asked who is running Venezuela, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not give a clear answer, describing it as “running policy”, and said: “People keep fixating on that. . Here’s the bottom line on it… we expect to see changes in Venezuela, changes of all kinds long term, short term.
“We want Venezuela to move in a certain direction, because not only do we think it’s good for the people of Venezuela, it’s in our national interest.”
Athena Stavrou4 January 2026 14:27
The Independent View: Trump’s Maduro gamble must be condemned – and turned to Venezuela’s advantage
Athena Stavrou4 January 2026 14:23
Rubio: ‘There is not a war against Venezuela’
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted the US is not at war against Venezuela after the attack on the South American country.
There’s not a war. We are at war against drug trafficking organisation, not a war against Venezuela,” he told NBC news.
Athena Stavrou4 January 2026 14:16
Spain ‘strongly condemns’ violation of international law in Venezuela
Spain has condemned what it called a violation of international law in Venezuela after a US attack.
In a letter to members of his Socialist Party on Sunday, prime minister Pedro Sanchez went further than his remarks on Saturday in which he said he would not recognise the intervention.
The Socialists’ hard-left coalition partner Sumar had urged the government to condemn the US strikes that resulted in the Venezuelan president’s capture, with party sources describing it as an act of imperialist piracy against a member state of the United Nations.
Sanchez’s letter described the “violation of international law in Venezuela, an act that we strongly condemn”.
Athena Stavrou4 January 2026 14:02
Foreign couple in Caracas describe being jolted awake by airstrikes – and their attempts to escape
An Australian lawyer and his wife were asleep in Caracas when airstrikes shattered the city before dawn, upending what had been a quiet family holiday.
Alexander, whose name has been changed for security reasons, woke with his Mexican-Venezuelan wife at 2am on Saturday to the roar of jets overhead.
Moments later came what he described as a “dull, very profound” blast as the nearby airport erupted in flames less than two kilometers away.
“It was very obvious what was happening,” Alexander said, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.
As lights flicked on across neighboring buildings and bar patrons spilled into the street, videos of explosions spread on WhatsApp. Other districts reported power and water outages.
Athena Stavrou4 January 2026 13:45