Secretary of State Marco Rubio fought back against ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday over U.S. authority and strategy following the removal of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Stephanopoulos repeatedly asked Rubio whether the U.S. is “running” Venezuela after President Trump said Washington would govern the country until a transition of power is secured. Rubio responded by framing U.S. actions as leverage, particularly related to an oil “quarantine,” rather than direct governance.
On ABC’s “This Week,” Stephanopoulos pressed Rubio on the legal basis for U.S. influence in Venezuela after Maduro’s extraction, demanding clarity on whether the U.S. is actually running the country’s government. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. will maintain leverage through economic means—especially the oil quarantine—until conditions aligned with U.S. and Venezuelan interests are met. He repeatedly pointed to legal authorities like court orders related to sanctions enforcement rather than admitting any formal governance role.
Stephanopoulos continued pressing on whether the U.S. is running Venezuela, but Rubio deflected by repeating that the focus is on using leverage and that the U.S. will direct how the situation evolves. He characterized their approach as leveraging existing sanctions and legal mechanisms rather than assuming direct administrative control, emphasizing the goal of reshaping Venezuela’s future away from narco-trafficking and toward greater stability.
Rubio also cast doubt on the legitimacy of Venezuela’s current interim leadership. He suggested that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power under the Venezuelan constitution after Maduro’s removal, is not the “legitimate” leader because the regime lacked legitimacy in elections. This stance aligns with the U.S. position held by more than 60 nations that Maduro’s government was not validly elected.
During the exchange, Rubio stressed that the United States aims to transform Venezuela’s political and economic landscape rather than occupy it permanently. He asserted U.S. goals include ending narco-trafficking and creating conditions for a future that breaks from the socialist regime’s entrenched corruption and crime networks.
Rubio’s comments come as the Trump administration navigates the complex aftermath of Maduro’s capture and the uncertain political situation in Caracas. While Trump’s remarks suggested the U.S. would “run” Venezuela temporarily, Rubio clearly sought to limit that perception by emphasizing legal authority and strategic leverage over direct governance.
