Trump: “Venezuela right now is a dead country. We have to bring it back”

President Donald Trump spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One late Sunday night as he flew back to Washington, D.C., addressing the current situation in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro. Trump said U.S. oil companies are ready to move into Venezuelan territory and play a central role in rebuilding the country.

He opened with a blunt assessment.

“Venezuela, at this moment, is a dead country,” Trump said. “We have to bring it back. And we are going to have to have big investments from oil companies to bring back the infrastructure. The oil companies are ready to go. They are going to go in and rebuild the infrastructure. We built it to start off with many years ago, and they took it away. You can’t do that. You can’t do that with me. They did it to other presidents.”

U.S. to “fix” Venezuela before elections

Asked about the possibility of a new electoral process in Venezuela, Trump said elections are not the immediate priority.

“Right now, we are looking more at getting it fixed, getting it ready, because the country is a mess,” he said. “It has been horribly run. Oil is flowing at a very low level. Even if it were badly run, it should still have more income and more oil than it has.”

Trump repeatedly emphasized Venezuela’s oil sector as both a symbol and a cause of the country’s collapse.

Who pays for Venezuela rebuild

Trump said private oil companies would shoulder the financial burden of rebuilding, not the U.S. government.

“They are going to fix the infrastructure. They are going to invest money. We are not going to invest anything,” he said. “We are going to take care of the country. We are going to cherish the country. And even more importantly, we are going to take care of the people, including Venezuelans living in our country who were forced to leave theirs. They are going to be very well taken care of.”

He added that the U.S. would oversee the transition and stabilize the country before any vote takes place.

“We are going to run it and fix it. There will be elections at the right time,” Trump said. “The main thing that needs fixing is that it is a broken country.”

Warning of further military action

Trump ended his remarks on Venezuela with a stark warning, raising the possibility of renewed military action.

“We are fully prepared,” he said. “We were prepared to carry out a second strike if necessary. We are completely prepared. We remain prepared. If they do not behave, we will carry out a second strike.”

Trump targets Colombia, Cuba and Mexico

Trump also turned his attention to other countries in the region, leveling harsh criticism at Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

“Venezuela is very sick. Colombia is very sick too,” Trump said. “It is run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. And he is not going to be doing it very long, let me tell you that. He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories. He’s not going to be doing it very long.”

He then addressed Cuba and President Miguel Díaz-Canel, suggesting the island nation is nearing collapse.

“Cuba is ready to fall, it looks like it’s ready to fall,” Trump said. “Cuba now has no income. They get all of their income from Venezuelan oil, and they are not going to get anything now.”

Trump also spoke about Mexico and President Claudia Sheinbaum, focusing on drug trafficking and security cooperation.

“We have to do something with Mexico,” he said. “Mexico has to get its act together against drug trafficking. Every time I speak to Sheinbaum, I offer to send troops.”

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