After swooping into Venezuela and sweeping President Nicolás Maduro away, Donald Trump has gamely offered “to run the country until such time as we can do a safe and proper and judicious transition”.
Trump has said that American oil companies will move into Venezuela, “to be taking a tremendous amount of wealth from the ground” for Venezuelans and Americans alike.
He has said that another attack will soon follow if necessary, and might deploy US troops on Venezuelan territory.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez said the government was ready “to defend”. However, Rodríguez, who has been named interim president by Venezuela’s Supreme Court, simultaneously has expressed a willingness to do “whatever the US asks”, Trump claims, despite her demands on state television that Maduro be released.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, though difficult to refine.
So who is ruling Venezuela now? Nobody knows, given that the situation is completely out of the bounds of any constitutional order.
A VP being made Acting President if the current president is unable to run is constitutionally typical. However, this is complicated by the USA probably supervising elections that will likely come soon — but not immediately, thanks to the practical difficulties. Right now, the source of military power lies with existing Venezuelan command. For the time being.
