‘Second strike in Venezuela if…’: Trump issues warning after Maduro capture

Amid uncertainty over Venezuela’s political future following US-led strikes, President Donald Trump on Monday warned that a second military operation in the country could occur “if they don’t behave.”

“We were prepared to do a second strike,” Trump told reporters. When asked if another operation was off the table, he clarified: “If they don’t behave, we’ll do a second strike.”

Colombia could be next

Trump also hinted at a Venezuela-style operation in Colombia. Criticising Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Trump called the country run by a “sick man” involved in cocaine production and trafficking.

“Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he’s not going to be doing it very long,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. When asked directly about a potential military operation, he added, “It sounds good to me.”

Focus on Venezuela’s challenges, not elections

Trump said the priority in Venezuela remains addressing the country’s ongoing problems rather than holding elections. “What we are focused on right now is all of the problems we had when Maduro was there. We still have those problems in terms of them needing to be addressed. We are going to give people an opportunity to address those challenges and those problems,” he said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed a more cautious stance, describing Venezuelan elections as “premature” at present. Rubio also clarified that the US is not seeking full regime change in Caracas or planning to take a direct governing role. Instead, the US focus will remain on enforcing an existing “oil quarantine” and using it as leverage to push for reforms.

Trump’s comments follow the dramatic US operation in Caracas that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are currently in New York facing trial on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges.