Trump threatens Delcy Rodriguez with a fate worse than Maduro's
In an unprecedented escalation of events in Latin America, former US President and strong Republican candidate Donald Trump issued a strongly worded warning to Delcy Rodriguez, who is serving as Venezuela’s acting president, threatening her with a heavy price that could exceed what her predecessor Nicolas Maduro faced, if she does not fully cooperate with the US administration and its new policies in the region.
Details of the threat and Washington's conditions
Trump's remarks came during an exclusive telephone interview with the American magazine "The Atlantic," where he clearly stated that the only option for the current Venezuelan leadership is to comply with the American vision. Brandishing a heavy stick, Trump said, "Unless you do the right thing, you will pay a very heavy price, perhaps even more than Maduro," referring to the surprise military operation carried out by US special forces on Saturday that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, an event that shook the global political scene.
The US side did not stop at military threats; senior officials, including Trump and his nominee for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, proposed a conditional diplomatic path. These conditions centered on the possibility of cooperating with the remaining officials of the Maduro regime, provided they take steps that Washington deems "correct," foremost among them allowing US companies to invest in and directly benefit from Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Transitional phase and direct US administration
In a related development, Trump revealed details of the US plan for Caracas's future, asserting that the United States intends to take over the administration of Venezuela during a transitional period. While this approach may seem to contradict Trump's previous rhetoric criticizing "regime change" and nation-building policies, he justified this radical shift by describing the current situation in Venezuela as catastrophic.
Trump told the magazine, “Rebuilding there and changing the regime, call it what you will, is better than what’s happening now.” He added, justifying direct intervention, “Rebuilding isn’t a bad thing in Venezuela. The country is in hell. It’s a failed state and a catastrophe in every way,” indicating Washington’s desire to reshape the political and economic landscape of the Latin American nation to serve its strategic interests.
Between Caracas and Greenland... Geopolitical messages
Trump's remarks were not without broader geopolitical implications, as he indirectly linked the show of force in Venezuela to his other expansionist ambitions, specifically regarding Greenland, a territory belonging to Denmark. Trump reiterated his desire to annex the territory to the United States, saying, "We absolutely need Greenland. We need it for security.".
When asked whether the military operation in Venezuela represented a veiled message or an indication of what the United States might do to annex Greenland, Trump left the door open to speculation with a vague answer: “They have to see for themselves, I really don’t know,” adding a new dimension to his administration’s power philosophy in dealing with thorny international issues.
