Trump Highlights Reluctance to Take Risks Following Maduro's Capture in Venezuela

President Donald Trump of the United States stated on Saturday that his administration is still contemplating its next actions in Venezuela following the apprehension of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

In an interview with Fox News, when asked about the political future of the South American nation, Trump was forthright: “We are in the process of making that decision now. We can't risk allowing someone else to take over and simply continue from where he left off.”

The President emphasized that the United States “will not repeat past mistakes” and that any transition in Venezuela must ensure freedom, fair elections, and the eradication of state-sponsored drug trafficking.

On Saturday, the U.S. government filed a federal indictment in the Southern District of New York against Nicolás Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores, and several high-ranking officials. They are accused of being involved in an international conspiracy of drug trafficking and corruption.

The indictment outlines how, since the late 1990s, the accused allegedly used their public positions to facilitate the shipment of large quantities of cocaine to the United States, supported by a network protected by the Venezuelan state.

Washington views this case as an unprecedented step in its campaign against organized crime in Latin America.

The fall of Maduro, captured in a U.S. military operation, has sparked uncertainty over who will assume control in Caracas. Nonetheless, Trump asserted that his administration “will not allow Chavismo to reinvent itself with a new face.”