WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s move to “run” the direction of Venezuela through a maritime quarantine, telling ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that the U.S. has the legal authority to seize sanctioned vessels.
The interview followed a dramatic operation in which former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was arrested and transported to New York. Rubio, who also serves as national security advisor, described the current U.S. posture as a “Department of War operation” aimed at curbing drug trafficking and foreign influence.
“What we are running is the direction that this is going to move moving forward, and that is we have leverage,” Rubio said. “This leverage we are using and we intend to use — we started using already.”
Leverage and the Oil ‘Quarantine’
Rubio pushed back against questions regarding the legal authority for the U.S. to effectively manage a foreign nation’s economy. He pointed to a blockade of oil storage and transport as the primary tool of influence.
“As far as what our legal authority is on the quarantine, very simple: We have court orders,” Rubio said. “These are sanctioned boats, and we get orders from courts to go after and seize these sanctions. So they’re — I don’t know, is a court not a legal authority?”
He warned that Venezuelan authorities would be forced to stop pumping oil within weeks due to a lack of storage capacity unless they meet U.S. conditions.
“That will continue to be in place until the people who have control over the levers of power in that country make changes that are not just in the interest of the people of Venezuela but are in the interest of the United States,” he added.
On Maduro’s Arrest and Delcy Rodríguez
Addressing the arrest of Maduro, Rubio characterized the mission as a “law enforcement operation” rather than an invasion, justifying the lack of congressional notification by citing “operational security.”
“He was arrested on the ground in Venezuela by FBI agents, read his rights, and removed from the country,” Rubio said. “You can’t congressionally notify something like this… it will leak.”
When asked if the U.S. now recognizes Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the legitimate president, Rubio remained noncommittal, noting that while the U.S. does not view the regime as legitimate via election, it must deal with those who “control the airports.”
“Ultimately, legitimacy for their system of government will come about through a period of transition and real elections,” Rubio said. “We’re not going to judge moving forward based simply on what’s said in press conferences. We want to see action.”
Economic Future and U.S. Interests
The secretary expressed confidence that Western oil companies would show “tremendous interest” in Venezuela’s heavy crude once the industry is reformed. He noted that U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast are best equipped to handle the country’s specific type of oil.
“These oilfields basically are pirate operations,” Rubio said, alleging that the previous regime stole wealth to benefit a “handful of cronies.” He stated that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum would soon begin assessing the potential for private industry involvement.
“Our number one objective is America,” Rubio said. “No more drugs. No more Tren de Aragua gangs coming our direction. That can’t and will not continue under this administration.”
