US President Donald Trump has made it clear that Venezuela is not yet ready for a new election, citing the country's economic and infrastructure collapse as major obstacles. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump stated that "the country's become Third World" and would struggle to hold free and fair elections.
Trump's comments come as his administration continues its efforts to exert control over the country after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. However, instead of pursuing a democratic transition, Trump has announced plans to "rebuild" Venezuela's oil industry, which he believes is crucial for the country's recovery.
The US president has vowed to meet with top oil executives on Friday to discuss investment plans for Venezuela, with estimates suggesting that at least $100 billion in funding will be required. Trump sees this as an opportunity to capitalize on Venezuela's vast oil reserves and reassert American influence in the region.
Trump's efforts have been met with skepticism by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who has repeatedly stated her intention to win elections with over 90% of the votes. The US president, however, appears unconvinced, casting doubt on Machado's ability to unite the country behind a new government.
In a surprising move, Trump announced plans to meet with Machado, sparking speculation about his intentions. While some see this as an attempt to co-opt the opposition, others view it as a cynical ploy to maintain control over Venezuela's oil resources.
As the US seeks to reassert its influence in the region, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has served as acting president since the capture of Maduro. However, with Trump's plans for rebuilding the oil industry taking center stage, it remains unclear whether the opposition will be given a chance to participate in a democratic transition.
For now, it appears that Venezuela is being held hostage by its oil reserves, with the US president determined to get his hands on them at any cost. As one commentator noted, "it's clear that Trump sees Venezuela as nothing more than an opportunity for American economic gain – and that's a recipe for disaster."
Trump's comments come as his administration continues its efforts to exert control over the country after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. However, instead of pursuing a democratic transition, Trump has announced plans to "rebuild" Venezuela's oil industry, which he believes is crucial for the country's recovery.
The US president has vowed to meet with top oil executives on Friday to discuss investment plans for Venezuela, with estimates suggesting that at least $100 billion in funding will be required. Trump sees this as an opportunity to capitalize on Venezuela's vast oil reserves and reassert American influence in the region.
Trump's efforts have been met with skepticism by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who has repeatedly stated her intention to win elections with over 90% of the votes. The US president, however, appears unconvinced, casting doubt on Machado's ability to unite the country behind a new government.
In a surprising move, Trump announced plans to meet with Machado, sparking speculation about his intentions. While some see this as an attempt to co-opt the opposition, others view it as a cynical ploy to maintain control over Venezuela's oil resources.
As the US seeks to reassert its influence in the region, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has served as acting president since the capture of Maduro. However, with Trump's plans for rebuilding the oil industry taking center stage, it remains unclear whether the opposition will be given a chance to participate in a democratic transition.
For now, it appears that Venezuela is being held hostage by its oil reserves, with the US president determined to get his hands on them at any cost. As one commentator noted, "it's clear that Trump sees Venezuela as nothing more than an opportunity for American economic gain – and that's a recipe for disaster."
... think about it - we're talking $100 billion investment in the oil industry, but what about the people? The suffering, the poverty, the lack of basic services? It's all about the money, right? 
I mean, I get that Trump wants to reassert American influence, but can't he see how this is just gonna exacerbate the problem? Venezuela needs a democratic transition, not some backroom deal with oil executives. And what about Machado's 90% of the votes claim? Is she even serious or just trying to get attention? 
Either way, it's all about control and profit at this point... I'm seriously worried about the future of Venezuela 
, but what about the people? It's crazy how he's got his eyes on that oil industry like it's a treasure chest 
. Like, can't he see how broken the country is? 
️ What really grinds my gears is that opposition leader Machado's got some legit claims, but he's all like "good luck with that" 
. And now, because of this oil thing, nobody knows if the opposition even gets a chance to run their own show? 
. It seems like the US is using their influence to control the country's resources instead of supporting a democratic transition. I mean, $100 billion is a huge amount of money, but at what cost? The people of Venezuela deserve to have a say in their own future, not be held hostage by politicians who only care about lining their pockets with oil profits 
. Can't we just focus on supporting human rights and democracy instead of just our economic interests? 
the opposition should be given a chance to lead and bring stability to the country, not just be an afterthought for trump's economic gain 
, venezuela's situation is super dire and he's thinkin' about the benjamins 
, no way man, venezuela needs democracy & change, not just a new oligarch 
... we need to make sure that anyone who wants to lead the country has a real chance to do so. Maybe Trump could learn from other countries' experiences with democracy instead of trying to impose his own way? 
This whole situation is making me super concerned about US foreign policy... let's hope they come up with a more nuanced plan than just oil and glory 
. like whats even the point of having elections if we just gonna manipulate the outcome? 
.
. We need to support our neighbors and find ways to help them build a more sustainable future 
honestly, what's next? us just gonna send in some team bloat to 'help' venezuela get its economy back on track? like, no offense but trump's oil plans sound like a straight-up cash grab. and machado being all confident with 90% of the votes is actually kinda refreshing. maybe she can school trumps on what a real democratic transition looks like 