[Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today,]( https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/us-policy-towards-venezuela) Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Trump administration’s “law enforcement” Jan. 3 assault on Venezuela, and kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro, as a total success which has put the country on the path to economic and political stabilization, with the U.S. exercising control over the proceeds of the oil trade. This was done “surgically,” quickly, “no one was hurt"—except the 100 Cubans and Venezuelans who were killed—a perfect achievement. Several participating Senators, some from the Republican party, confronted Rubio with the administration’s failure to inform or consult with Congress on any of these crucial foreign policy issues, including NATO, Greenland, etc.
Interestingly, Rubio put aside his prepared introductory remarks, in which he warned the interim Venezuelan authorities led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, “we are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail. It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this Hemisphere.” The change in tone in his spoken remarks was notable. After detailing the measures the administration has begun to implement, as part of an economic and political stabilization plan, based on “respectful relations” with Rodríguez and other institutions of the Maduro government that remain in place—law enforcement for example—Rubio stated that the U.S. is “not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time.”
