WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said the United States is not at war with Venezuela and will not push for elections there in the near term, arguing that the country must first be stabilised and its infrastructure rebuilt following the capture of its leader, Nicolas Maduro.
In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Trump said Venezuela would not hold elections in the next 30 days, saying conditions on the ground made voting unrealistic. “We have to fix the country first, ” Trump said. “You can’t have an election if people can’t even vote.”
Trump said Washington’s focus is on restoring basic order and rebuilding the economy. “We have to nurse the country back to health, ” he said, indicating that the transition would take time.
The president said US oil companies could play a central role in rebuilding Venezuela’s energy infrastructure, an effort he suggested could take less than 18 months. He said the United States may subsidise part of the effort, but insisted that oil companies would ultimately bear the costs and recover their investments.