President Donald Trump mentioned the chief of the Venezuelan opposition does not have the “respect” of the nation to manipulate following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The U.S. led a sequence of strikes within the South American nation early Saturday, ultimately capturing Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, and taking them to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism prices.
Opposition chief and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado celebrated the operation and seize in a press release, calling it the “hour of freedom.”
“As of right now, Nicolás Maduro faces worldwide justice for the atrocious crimes dedicated towards the Venezuelan individuals and towards residents of many different nations. In mild of his refusal to simply accept a negotiated resolution, the Authorities of america has fulfilled its promise to uphold the rule of legislation,” Machado mentioned.
Trump, who mentioned he has not been in touch with Machado, mentioned throughout a press convention on Saturday that he does not imagine she will assume the management position in Venezuela.
“I believe it could be very robust for her to be the chief. She does not have the help inside or the respect inside the nation. She’s a really good lady, however she does not have the respect,” Trump mentioned.
Maria Corina Machado, laureate of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, speaks throughout a information convention in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 11, 2025.
Lars Martin Hunstad/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos, FILE
Trump additionally introduced the U.S. will “run the nation” because it transitions into new management.
“We’ll run the nation till such time as we are able to do a secure, correct and considered transition,” Trump mentioned. “And it must be considered, as a result of that is what we’re all about. We would like peace, liberty and justice for the good individuals of Venezuela.”
Venezuelans react to Maduro’s ousting
Political analyst Liz Alarcón, with experience in Latin America and U.S. Latinos, rejected the notion that Machado does not have the respect of the nation throughout an look on ABC Information Reside.
When requested if there’s a probability for Machado to run the nation, Alarcón replied, “That’s precisely what exists already.”
“What we wish to see is, after all, the help of the complete worldwide neighborhood, together with america, to oust an illegitimate chief like Nicolás Maduro from the nation … however we additionally need our will as Venezuelans inside and out of doors of the nation to be revered,” she mentioned.
Alarcón mentioned that can consists of Venezuela being run by leaders resembling Machado or Edmundo González Urrutia, who ran towards Maduro within the election final July.
In her assertion, Machado known as on the army to acknowledge González Urrutia because the rightful president of Venezuela.
On this June 10, 2025 file photograph, Venezuelan President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez speaks in the course of the occasion ‘Venezuela, Reminiscence and Justice’, on the European Parliament headquarters in Madrid, Spain.
Europa Press Information/Europa Press by way of Getty Photos
Impartial exit polls confirmed González Urrutia obtained two-thirds of the votes, and the U.S. mentioned “overwhelming proof” supported his victory, however Maduro claimed he gained the election and didn’t cede energy.
ABC Information’ Chief World Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz instructed “Good Morning America Weekend” that it is unclear how the army will reply to the ousting of Maduro and that the U.S. is keeping track of the state of affairs.
“At this time, we’re able to implement our mandate and to take energy. Allow us to stay vigilant, energetic, and arranged till the Democratic Transition is achieved — a transition that requires every one in every of us.” Machado mentioned.
Alarcón instructed ABC Information Reside that many Venezuelans are celebrating the downfall of Maduro however wish to make sure that his regime is not changed by the same one.
This consists of not putting in any of Maduro’s allies who’re nonetheless in Venezuela or one other determine who does not respect the “democratic will of the Venezuelan individuals,” she defined.
Folks rejoice on the Bolivar sq. in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro.
Luis Acosta/AFP by way of Getty Photos
“What I want to see is for these nonetheless in energy in Venezuela to obtain ensures, to exit peacefully, and to present option to the freedom that so many Venezuelans right here in Doral, the place I stay… had been screaming and chanting and wanting and meaning liberty from everybody and to see the nation ruled by those that we elected,” she mentioned.
Venezuelan-American journalist José Enrique Arrioja, speaking to ABC News’ Gio Benitez, known as the operation a “stunning sequence of occasions” and a “historic second” for each Venezuela and Latin America.
Arrioja, who has been masking monetary markets and politics in Latin America for greater than twenty years and is the managing editor of the journal Americas Quarterly, mentioned the operation confirmed a daring new technique the Trump administration could be taking within the area.
“It has been a really [mixed] response. The state of affairs in Caracas as we converse proper now, Gio, is calm. Folks shopping for groceries, shopping for primary staples forward of is likely to be differ unsure week, if not months, forward,” Arrioja mentioned.
“We’ve a regime that was broadly unpopular since final 12 months after they usurped energy after the July 28 elections,” he continued. “It has been simply coping with an elevated repression, extra authoritarian regime.”
Maduro’s supporters condemn US operation
Whereas many detractors celebrated Maduro’s seize, his supporters condemned the U.S. for finishing up the operation.
Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the nation on state tv demanding the discharge of Maduro and saying he’s the one president of the nation.
“We had already warned that an aggression was underway underneath false excuses, underneath false pretexts, and that the masks had fallen and it had just one goal: regime change in Venezuela — and the seize of our power, mineral, and pure assets,” she mentioned in an handle in Spanish. “That’s the true goal, and the world and the worldwide neighborhood should realize it.”
“We’ve convened this Nationwide Protection Council. … From right here, we demand the fast launch of President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores. The one president of Venezuela: President Nicolas Maduro.”
Rodriguez known as on civilians and armed forces throughout the nation to mobilize and to defend the nation.
On this March 10, 2025, file photograph, Venezuela’s Vice-President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez addresses the media in Caracas, Venezuela.
Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters, FILE
“United as a nation, the Venezuelan individuals will discover a path of peace and calm. Those that resort to drive, those that resort to violating worldwide legislation — they don’t have proper or motive on their aspect,” she mentioned. “We’ve historic proper and ethical proper on our aspect, and we are going to stand agency in defending peace, calm, Venezuela’s future, the individuals’s declare to their homeland, and their proper to hope and social well-being.”
Rodriguez’s feedback demanding for the “fast launch” of Maduro contradict what Trump mentioned she had instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio throughout a “lengthy” telephone dialog held Saturday.
Trump claimed on Saturday that Rodriguez mentioned she is able to work with Washington and that “she’s basically prepared to do what we expect is important to make Venezuela nice once more.”
ABC Information’ Dada Jovanovic and Victoria Moll Rordriguez contributed to this report.
