The Sunday statement by Rubio emphasizes that the U.S. does not intend to engage in day-to-day management of Venezuela, except for ensuring compliance with the "oil quarantine" following the military operation that removed Maduro.
This statement is likely aimed at dispelling concerns that recent regime change actions in Venezuela could lead to prolonged foreign intervention or a failure in state-building.
This position of Rubio differs from earlier statements by President Donald Trump, who insisted that the U.S. would "manage" Venezuela until a sustainable democratic solution to the crisis was found.
Nicolas Maduro, born on November 23, 1962, in Caracas, began his career as a bus driver and became well-known after meeting Hugo Chavez in 1993. On Saturday, after 12 years in power and a U.S. operation, he was arrested and taken to New York for trial on charges of drug terrorism.
Their acquaintance took place in Yare prison, where Chavez was serving time for an attempted coup. Cilia Flores, Chavez's lawyer and future wife of Maduro, played a key role in their meeting, which determined Maduro's future political fate.
At that time, he was just over thirty and was just starting his career in the labor movement. His connection with Chavez quickly strengthened, and he became one of the founders of the "V Republic" movement, which led to Chavez's successful campaign for the presidency.
Maduro quickly held important positions: he became a member of the National Constituent Assembly that developed a new constitution for the Chavistas, held positions in parliament, and served as foreign minister before being appointed Chavez's successor in 2012.
After Chavez's death in March 2013, Maduro struggled to gain the trust of the people. In 2013, he won the elections by a narrow margin but soon faced mass protests. In 2014, more than 40 people died as a result of repression, and hundreds were injured.
The economic situation in the country deteriorated: high inflation, falling oil prices, and shortages of goods became hallmarks of his rule. In 2015, "Chavismo" suffered defeat in the elections, to which Maduro responded by seizing the powers of the National Assembly through the Supreme Court, further exacerbating the democratic situation.
In 2018, Maduro was re-elected in elections deemed fraudulent, and his inauguration took place without significant international recognition. In 2019, Juan Guaido proclaimed himself president with the support of the U.S. and the EU, but this failed to remove Maduro from power.
The 2024 elections became a failure for him, as he could not provide documents confirming his victory over opponent Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. The international community recognized the opposition candidate as the legitimate winner, and Maria Corina Machado led the resistance.
Consequences: U.S. military operation, capture, and trial
Donald Trump heightened tensions after returning to the White House, stating that Maduro's days were "numbered." Washington conducted attacks on more than 30 drug boats near Venezuela, resulting in the deaths of a hundred people. The U.S. administration designated the "Cartel of the Suns" as a terrorist organization and offered $50 million for Maduro's capture.
On the morning of January 3, 2026, "Chinook" helicopters and American special forces carried out an attack on Caracas. Maduro and Cilia Flores were captured and transferred to the U.S. Navy ship "Iwo Jima." Trump called this operation "one of the greatest displays of power in U.S. history."
Photographs of the Venezuelan president with his eyes blindfolded, holding a bottle of water aboard a military vessel, became widely circulated.
Hours later, he landed at Stewart Air Force Base in New York, hooded and handcuffed, under the guard of Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the charges: drug terrorism conspiracy, attempted cocaine smuggling into the U.S., and weapons-related crimes. Maduro is expected to appear in court in Manhattan this week.
Trump confirmed that the U.S. would "manage Venezuela" until an orderly transition of power occurs.
Maduro, once a bus driver who solidified his revolutionary commitment in Yare prison 32 years ago, now awaits what is likely the end of his political career in a detention center in Brooklyn.
