U.S. President Donald Trump said on his social media site on Tuesday that Venezuela’s “interim authorities” would sell 30 million to 50 million barrels of “high-quality” oil to the United States at market prices.
“I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “It will be taken away by storage ships and shipped directly to unloading docks in the United States.”
Trump said the money would be under his control as president but would be used to benefit the Venezuelan and American people.
Separately, the White House will organize an Oval Office meeting on Friday with oil company executives on Venezuela, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips is expected to attend, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss plans.
This is a breaking news update. Early AP reporting follows.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — At least 24 Venezuelan security officials killed in U.S. military late night military operations capture Nicolás Maduro and smuggled him into the United States to face drug charges, officials said Tuesday.
Venezuelan officials in their capacity as the country’s acting president announced the death toll. Delcy Rodriguez, push back president donald trumpwarned earlier this week that she would face a worse outcome than Maduro If she doesn’t “do the right thing” and radically reform Venezuela into a country that serves U.S. interests. Trump has said that his administration Venezuela policy will now be ‘run’ and urged the country’s leaders to open up its vast oil reserves to U.S. energy companies.
“Personally, for those who threaten me,” Rodriguez said in a speech before government agriculture and industry officials. “My destiny is not determined by them, but by God.”
Venezuelan Attorney General Tariq William Saab said “dozens” of officials and civilians were killed in strikes in Caracas over the weekend and that prosecutors would investigate the deaths, which he described as “war crimes.” He did not specify whether the estimate was specific to Venezuelans.
In addition to Venezuelan security officials, the Cuban government previously confirmed that there are 32 Cuban military and police personnel working in Venezuela. killed in attack. The Cuban government stated killed persons It is affiliated with the country’s two main security agencies, the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry.
Seven U.S. service members were also injured in the attack, according to the Pentagon. Five people have returned to work and two are still recovering from injuries. A U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity said the injuries included gunshot wounds and shrapnel wounds.
A video paying tribute to slain Venezuelan security officials is posted on the military’s website Instagram The black-and-white video showed the faces of fallen soldiers, U.S. planes flying over Caracas and armored vehicles destroyed by explosions. Meanwhile, the streets of Caracas, which had been deserted for days after Maduro’s arrest, were briefly filled with people waving Venezuelan flags and playing patriotic music for state-organized performances of support for the government.
“Their blood was shed not for revenge, but for justice and strength,” the military said in an Instagram post. “It reaffirms our unwavering oath to never rest until we save our legitimate president, completely dismantle terrorist groups operating abroad, and ensure that such incidents never again stain our sovereign soil.”
Trump complains about Democrats’ response to attack
Trump on Tuesday pushed back against Democratic criticism of this weekend’s military action, noting that his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden had also called for arrests Venezuelan leader Regarding drug trafficking charges.
Trump speaks before a meeting House Republicans retreat Washington has complained that despite bipartisan agreement that Maduro is not Venezuela’s legitimate president, Democrats are not taking credit for the successful military campaign.
In 2020, Maduro was indicted in the United States and accused of participating in a decades-long narco-terrorism and international cocaine trafficking conspiracy. White House officials noted that the Biden administration spent last year in its final days in office Awards Get information that led to Maduro’s arrest after his third re-election, despite evidence that he lost Venezuela’s most recent election. The Trump administration doubled the bonus to $50 million in August.
“You know, at some point, wouldn’t it be nice for them to say, ‘You know, you did a great job. Thank you. Congratulations.'” Trump said. “I would say if they had done a good job, their philosophies would be so different. But if they had done a good job, I would be happy for the country. They have been hunting this guy for years.”
Trump’s latest comments came after remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top officials briefing congressional leaders late monday Venezuela business Concerns are growing that a Republican administration is ushering in a new era in America expansionism There was no consultation with lawmakers and no clear vision for governing the South American country.
Democratic leaders said the meeting lacked clarity on the Trump administration’s plans for Venezuela. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., an Iraq war veteran, said there was no doubt that Trump considered Maduro a “brutal dictator.”
“But the problem we face is that we are now once again in a war with no known exit,” Duckworth said.
What US polls show
Americans are divided over Maduro’s arrest — with many still forming opinions — According to a public opinion poll The Post and SSRS conducted the investigation over the weekend using text messages. About 4 in 10 support sending U.S. troops to capture Maduro, while about the same share oppose it. About 2 in 10 were unsure.
Nearly half of Americans (45%) oppose the United States taking control of Venezuela and choosing a new government for the country. About 9 in 10 Americans say the Venezuelan people should be the ones determining the country’s future leadership.
maduro Pleads not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges Monday in a U.S. court. Earlier on Saturday, U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife during a raid on a compound where they were surrounded by Cuban guards.
In the days since Maduro was ousted, Trump and senior administration officials have stoked concerns around the world that the operation could mark the beginning of a more expansionist U.S. foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere. The president has renewed calls in recent days for the United States to take over the Danish territory Greenland in U.S. security interests and threatened military action against Colombia to facilitate the global sale of cocaine while his top diplomats declared a communist government cuba “There’s a lot of trouble.”
Colombia responds to Trump
Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio said on Tuesday she would meet with the charge d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota to file a formal complaint with him over recent threats from the United States.
On Sunday, Trump said he would not rule out an attack on Colombia and described the Colombian president, an outspoken critic of U.S. pressure on Venezuela, as “a sick man who likes to make cocaine and sell it to the United States.”
Villavicencio said she wanted to strengthen ties with the United States and improve cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.
“There is a need for the Trump administration to take a more detailed look at what we are doing to combat drug trafficking,” she said.
Meanwhile, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom attended the meeting on Tuesday, along with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Defend Greenland’s sovereignty. The island is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark and therefore part of the NATO military alliance.
“Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland,” the statement said. “Denmark and Greenland, and they alone, can decide issues concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
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Madani reported from Washington, and Janetski reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Josh Bock, Konstantin Tolopin, Sagar Megane, Isabelle Debray, Linley Sanders and Manuel Rueda also contributed reporting.