WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump\u2019s administration said Wednesday it will dictate decisions to Venezuela\u2019s interim leaders and control the country\u2019s oil sales \u201cindefinitely\u201d after toppling Nicolas Maduro. The United States could effectively run Venezuela and tap into its oil reserves for years, Trump later told the New York Times. The American leader\u2019s assertion of US dominance over the oil-rich South American country comes despite its interim leader Delcy Rodriguez saying there is no foreign power governing Caracas. \u201cThere is a stain on our relations such as had never occurred in our history,\u201d Rodriguez said about the US attack to depose her predecessor. US Special Forces snatched president Maduro and his wife on Saturday in a lightning raid and whisked them to New York to face trial on drug and weapons charges, underscoring what Trump has called the \u201cDonroe Doctine\u201d of US dominance over its backyard. \u201cWe obviously have maximum leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela right now\u201d following the capture operation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing. \u201cWe\u2019re continuing to be in close coordination with the interim authorities, and their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States of America. \u201cTrump has said the United States will \u201crun\u201d Venezuela, which has the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserves. \u201cThey\u2019re giving us everything that we feel is necessary,\u201d Trump told the Times. \u201cDon\u2019t forget, they took the oil from us years ago. When asked if US control of the country would last three months, six months or a year, Trump told the paper: \u201cI would say much longer.\u201d But Washington has no boots on the ground, and appears to be relying on a naval blockade and the threat of further force to ensure the cooperation of the interim president. DNA
\nMeanwhile Caracas announced Wednesday that at least 100 people were killed in the US attack and a similar number injured.
\nAmong those hurt were Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said. The couple were seen walking on their own power during a New York court arraignment earlier this week. According to Havana, the death toll includes 32 members of the Cuban military. Maduro, like his firebrand predecessor Hugo Chavez, employed specialized Cuban soldiers as bodyguards.
\nTrump\u2019s administration — which has so far indicated it intends to stick with Rodriguez and sideline opposition figures, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado — has given few details about its plans. Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Wednesday, after meeting lawmakers on Capitol Hill who have been critical about the post-Maduro planning, that the United States was \u201cnot just winging it.\u201d
\nBut so far, the US plan relies heavily on what Trump said on Tuesday was an agreement for Venezuela to hand over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States for it to then sell. Trump said Wednesday that under the deal Venezuela \u201cis going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products, with the money they receive\u201d from the oil profits they receive.
\nThat would include agricultural products, machinery, medical devices and energy equipment, he added. Rubio said that in a second \u201crecovery\u201d phase, US and Western companies would have access to the Venezuelan market and \u201cat the same time, begin to create the process of reconciliation nationally within Venezuela.\u201d
\nVenezuela\u2019s state oil firm said it was discussing oil sales with the United States for the \u201csale of volumes of oil\u201d under existing commercial frameworks. But Washington is looking at longer term control, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright. \u201cWe\u2019re going to market the crude coming out of Venezuela, first this backed-up stored oil, and then indefinitely, going forward, we will sell the production that comes out of Venezuela,\u201d Wright said Wednesday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump\u2019s administration said Wednesday it will dictate decisions to Venezuela\u2019s interim leaders and control the country\u2019s oil sales \u201cindefinitely\u201d after toppling Nicolas Maduro. The United States could effectively run Venezuela and tap into its oil reserves for years, Trump later told the New York Times. The American leader\u2019s assertion of US […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-524540","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n