Trump announces that the US will continue to govern until a new leadership is elected, Venezuela's Supreme Court orders Vice President Rodriguez to assume the role of acting president
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Confusion and controversy have flared over who will take over power in Venezuela after the US military took over the country's President Nicolas Maduro. US President Donald Trump has said that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is unfit to lead Venezuela and that the US will remain in power until a new leader is elected.
At a press conference held on Saturday, Trump signaled that the United States would intervene directly in Venezuela's transition.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuela's main opposition leader Maria Corina Machado welcomed Maduro's arrest as a "moment of freedom." She called on the military to recognize the real winner of the election, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, as president.
However, President Trump has questioned Machado's leadership skills. "She (Machado) is a good woman, but she does not have the respect and support of the country to lead Venezuela," Trump said. "We will govern Venezuela ourselves until it is safe and fair."
Contrary to Trump's claim, Latin American affairs expert Liz Alarcon has denied that Machado lacks popular support. She said, "The Venezuelan people are happy with the fall of Maduro, but we want our country to be run by the leaders we chose, Machado or Gonzalez."
Despite opposition candidate Gonzalez claiming to have won two-thirds of the vote in last July's election, Maduro refused to step down. Now, Venezuelans are worried that Maduro's departure could lead to another dictatorship or foreign puppet government of the same nature.
However, Venezuela's Supreme Court has ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the role of acting president. The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court has ordered her to take charge in President Maduro's absence.
Vice President Rodriguez has also strongly condemned the US action. In an address on state television, she demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife. "This operation is just a pretext to seize Venezuela's energy, minerals and natural resources," Rodriguez said, adding that "Maduro is the only legitimate president of Venezuela." She also called on citizens and the armed forces to unite to defend the country.
While Rodriguez has publicly protested, Trump has claimed otherwise. According to Trump, Rodriguez said in a long telephone conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio that she was ready to work with Washington. Trump said, "She has indicated that we are ready to do whatever we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again."
Although the situation in Caracas seems calm now, there is uncertainty about where the coming days will turn. The world's attention is focused on whether this move by the US military will restore democracy in Venezuela or lead to a new conflict.
