United States President Donald Trump has said the U.S. will effectively oversee Venezuela’s governance until what he described as a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power can take place, signalling a dramatic escalation in Washington’s position on the long-running Venezuelan crisis.
Speaking during a press conference on January 3, President Trump said the United States could not risk allowing another leadership arrangement in Venezuela that would replicate what he described as decades of failure and misrule.
“We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,”
Trump said, emphasizing that the process must be carefully managed to avoid repeating past outcomes. He added that the U.S. approach is rooted in “peace, liberty and justice” for the Venezuelan people.
Trump said his comments were made with both Venezuelans at home and those living abroad in mind, particularly Venezuelans now residing in the United States who, he said, want to return to their homeland but are unable to do so under current conditions. “It’s their homeland,” Trump said, adding that the United States cannot “take a chance” on another leadership takeover that does not prioritize the welfare of the Venezuelan population. He argued that Venezuela has already suffered through “decades” of leadership that failed its people.
The President said the U.S. would remain in its current position until a transition meeting its standards of safety, stability and legitimacy is achieved, though he did not outline a specific timeline or governance framework.
The remarks are expected to trigger significant international reaction, as they raise serious questions about sovereignty, international law and regional stability.
Venezuela’s prolonged political and economic crisis has led to mass migration across the Caribbean, Latin America and beyond. President Trump’s statement adds a new and controversial dimension to an already volatile situation with far-reaching regional implications.
