What we know
- President Donald Trump told NBC News he could launch a second military operation into Venezuela if its acting president stops cooperating. He also said the U.S. may subsidize an effort by oil firms to rebuild the country’s energy infrastructure.
- A U.S. official told NBC News that a recent classified intelligence assessment determined that top members of the regime — including new acting leader Delcy Rodríguez — were best positioned to lead a stable government if Nicolás Maduro lost power.
- The deposed Venezuelan leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in New York court after the U.S. captured them in a surprise attack. “I am a prisoner of war,” Maduro said.
- NATO allies warned that they “will not stop defending” the values of sovereignty and territorial integrity after Trump said he was “very serious” about his desire to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland.
- U.S. energy secretary, oil execs already in discussions
Energy Secretary Chris Wright is in discussions with oil executives about going into Venezuela to upgrade the infrastructure and pump more oil, a source close to the White House told NBC News today.
The president trusts Chevron and has a good relationship with the company, the source said. When asked if Chevron would be interested in taking on this project in Venezuela, the source said, rhetorically: “Why wouldn’t one of the biggest energy companies in the world want to play in one of the biggest markets in the world?”- Two arrested in Venezuela for celebrating Maduro’s capture
Two people in western Venezuela were arrested for “disturbing the peace and public tranquility,” police in Merida said in a release.
“The suspects were shouting slogans against the government, celebrating the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, offending PSUV militants in the neighborhood, and inciting violence, in addition to firing shots,” police said.
The people arrested were 64 and 65 years old and were inspected by police at the scene. Police also searched their home and found a Smith & Wesson revolver with six cartridges — five were discharged and one was not, according to police.
Venezuelan military says 24 died in weekend raid
The Venezuelan military posted on Instagram a tribute to soldiers killed in the U.S. raid that captured President Maduro and his wife. The post says 24 men and women in uniform died in the Saturday operation.
“We remember them not because of the cause, but because of their sacrifice,” the military wrote.
The Cuban government said earlier this week that 32 of its officers died in the raid.
Colombia’s military is ready to defend the country, foreign minister says
Colombia’s foreign minister said the country’s military is prepared to defend it in the event of an attack by the United States.
“If such aggression were to occur, the military must defend the national territory and the country’s sovereignty,” Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio said at a news conference.
She cautioned that she is hoping to strengthen relations with the United States and improve cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.
“We insist on using diplomatic channels, using international law mechanisms, to talk, to reach agreements. The Trump government must know in more detail everything we do in the fight against drugs,” Villavicencio said. “That is a task we have and that we are working on from the embassy to achieve maximum closeness with advisers and people who are close to President Trump, to convey all the results of all the work being done.”
Venezuelan AG calls on judge to respect international law
Attorney General of Venezuela Tarek William Saab addressed the country’s National Assembly today and called on the judge overseeing Maduro’s legal proceedings in the U.S. to respect international law.
“I call on Judge Alvin Hellerstein to respect international law and recognize the lack of jurisdiction of the court at his disposal to prosecute the head of a sovereign nation such as Venezuela, who is protected by diplomatic immunity,” Saab said, indicating he believes Maduro’s capture and prosecution in the U.S. is illegal.
He also called for the investigation of “the dozens of innocent civilian and military casualties that occurred in the midst of this war crime,” noting that the National Assembly has appointed three prosecutors to lead the charge.
Trump praises Venezuela operation: ‘It was amazing’
Trump praised the operation in Venezuela, saying in a speech before House Republicans that “we had a lot of boots on the ground, but it was amazing.”
“Think of it, nobody was killed,” he said. “And on the other side, a lot of people were killed.”
The president also touted the military as “fearsome,” adding that “nobody can take us.”
Who is running Venezuela? Trump says: ‘Me’
Speaking exclusively to NBC News, Trump said several top officials will oversee Venezuela, but when asked who will ultimately be in charge, the president said: “Me.”
“I do get the sense that they’re cooperating,” he said. “They need help.” the U.S. would also start producing weapons “much faster.”
U.S. allies warn Trump over Greenland threats
European NATO allies warned the United States on Tuesday that they would “not stop defending” the values of sovereignty and territorial integrity following President Donald Trump’s threats against the Danish island of Greenland.
Trump and his team have ramped up hostile suggestions that they want to seize Greenland, a vast Arctic island of just 50,000 people with mineral and strategic significance. The U.S. attack against Venezuela and capture of President Nicolas Maduro — which the United Nations said undermined international law — has raised fears that this might not be an empty threat.
The European leaders were in Paris meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and others, according to a White House official. It is the latest in frenzied rounds of shuttle diplomacy to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Though these negotiations have accelerated since November, the U.S. attack on Venezuela and continued suggestions of seizing Denmark have cast a shadow over the talks, which are being held with the very allies who — under NATO’s principle of collective defense — Trump is suggesting attacking.
NBC
