Rubio touts progress with Venezuela’s new leaders in US Senate hearing

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Venezuela’s new leaders were moving towards closer ties with Washington, leaving no immediate need for further US military action, as he publicly faced lawmakers’ questions on Jan 28 for the first time since

President Nicolas Maduro’s capture

in January.

President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to work with Ms Delcy Rodriguez, a Maduro ally who was sworn in as interim president after his arrest, but previously warned of further military action if her government does not comply with US demands.

Mr Rubio, a former Florida senator and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told a packed Senate hearing room that while Mr Trump would not rule out any options, “we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to, have to take any military action in Venezuela”, signalling the administration’s satisfaction with Ms Rodriguez.

“The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy. That is our goal. That is our expectation,” Mr Rubio said.

Communications with Venezuela’s leaders were “very respectful and productive”, Mr Rubio said, adding that he expected the US would soon be able to reopen a diplomatic presence in the country. 

The US embassy in Caracas has been shuttered since 2019, but the State Department has, in recent weeks, sent officials to begin preparations for its reopening.

‘Serious conversations’

“For the first time in 20 years, we are having serious conversations about eroding and eliminating the Iranian presence, the Chinese influence, the Russian presence as well. In fact, I will tell you that there are many elements there in Venezuela that welcome a return to establishing relations with the United States on multiple fronts,” he said.

Reuters reported on Jan 28 that

US intelligence reports have questioned

whether Ms Rodriguez is fully on board with the US strategy for her country and if she intends to formally cut ties with US adversaries.

Mr Rubio met at the State Department later on Jan 28 with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, amid questions about whether Mr Trump would ever install her as Venezuela’s leader to replace Maduro.

Afterwards, Ms Machado told reporters she wanted to assure Venezuelans that change was coming.

“I know what Venezuela is living through; I feel it in every fibre of my being. But I tell you this: we are going to achieve it. It is happening,” she said.

In his testimony, Mr Rubio said Mr Maduro had to be

removed from power

because Venezuela had become a base of operations for US adversaries, including China, Russia and Iran, and his alleged cooperation with drug traffickers was affecting the region and the US.

“It was an untenable situation and it had to be addressed,” Mr Rubio said.

The US had set up a mechanism to sell Venezuelan oil in the short term but aimed to facilitate a transition to “a friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela” that ultimately chooses its leaders through free and fair elections, Mr Rubio said. 

Venezuela sits on the world’s largest crude oil reserves, and the Trump administration has said it intends to control the OPEC member’s oil industry and revenue indefinitely.

A group of 12 Democratic lawmakers on Jan 28 warned about the financial risks of investing in Venezuela, pointing out that the terms offered by the US and Venezuelan governments could be reversed.

‘Without precedence’

Two weeks ago, Trump’s fellow Republicans narrowly blocked a resolution that would have barred Mr Trump from further military action in Venezuela without Congress’ authorisation.

Vice-President J.D. Vance was forced to break a tie.

The war powers resolution appeared to be on track to pass the Senate after five Republicans joined Democrats in voting to advance it, in rare Republican opposition to Mr Trump.

But Mr Trump railed at the five, saying they should never again be elected to public office.

He and Mr Rubio made repeated calls encouraging senators to change their votes by insisting there were no US troops in Venezuela, and with promises including Mr Rubio’s agreement to testify publicly.

Two of them, Mr Josh Hawley of Missouri and Mr Todd Young of Indiana, flipped their positions, citing the administration’s assurances.

The close vote reflected concern in Congress about Mr Trump’s foreign policy and growing support for the argument that Congress should take back the power to send US troops to war from the president, as spelt out in the Constitution.

Some Democrats during the hearing warned that the UScould be pulled into another long overseas entanglement in Venezuela, questioned the legality of

US strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs

and also questioned the wisdom of working closely with Ms Rodriguez, a life-long socialist and previously an opponent of US involvement in her country.

“The scope of the project that you are undertaking in Venezuela is without precedent,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said.

“You are taking their oil at gunpoint. You are holding and selling that oil, putting for now the receipts in an offshore Middle Eastern account. You’re deciding how and for what purposes that money is going to be used in a country of 30 million people. I think a lot of us believe that that is destined for failure.” REUTERS