Trump:

Claudia Sheinbaum is a good woman, but the cartels are running Mexico.

She’s not running Mexico — the cartels are running Mexico.

Something’s going to have to be done with Mexico.

Russian foreign ministry says information that Venezuela’s Rodríguez is in Russia is fake.

Trump:

Compare this to Afghanistan, where we were a laughingstock all over the world. We’re not a laughingstock anymore.

No, we have the greatest military in the world—by far. We have the greatest military equipment in the world, by far.

Trump:

I think it sends the signal that we’re not going to be pushed around as a country anymore by these countries.

Trump:

Basically, I said, you have to give up. You have to surrender.

I had discussions. I actually spoke to him myself.

He said no.

Trump:

We were prepared to do a second wave. We were all set and very professional. This was so lethal, so powerful, that we didn’t have to—but we were prepared.

Frankly, we probably thought we were going to have to do it.

Trump:

He wanted to negotiate at the end, and I didn’t want to negotiate.

I said, “No, we got to do it.” He tried hard to make a deal; I said no.

China condemns the U.S. use of force against Venezuela as a violation of international law and sovereignty, warning it threatens regional peace and urging Washington to stop such actions.

Trump:

If I didn’t get elected, I don’t even think we would have a country right now. We were heading down the path of destruction.

Democrats shouldn’t say, “Oh gee, maybe it’s not constitutional,” the same old stuff we’ve been hearing for years and years.

Trump:

They did an incredible job. These men and women who went out there last night—the courage they had going into an area where all the light switches were off.

We turned off almost all of the lights in Caracas. This thing was so organized. They went into a dark space with machine guns facing them all over the place.

Trump to Maduro loyalists:

Well, if they stay loyal, the future is really bad for them. If they convert—there’s a conversion factor—I would say most of them have converted. He’s had very little loyalty.

In fact, I noticed today that some people are marching in the streets waving flags, and they’re very supportive. They have American flags being waved on the streets.

Fox News: What do you see as the future of Venezuela’s oil industry?

Trump: Well, I see that we’re going to be very strongly involved in it. That’s all I can say. We have the greatest oil companies in the world—the biggest, the greatest—and we’re going to be very much involved in it.

Trump:

Maduro and his wife will be heading to New York. They were taken to a ship first—yes, the Iwo Jima. They’re on a ship.

Helicopters came out, and they went by helicopter. It was a nice flight—I’m sure they loved it.

French Foreign Ministry:

The removal of Maduro from power and the violation of sovereignty constitute a serious act of aggression against the dignity of the Venezuelan people and their right to determine their own future.

Maduro’s arrest violates the principle of non-use of force under international law.

No lasting political solution can be imposed on Venezuela from abroad; only the Venezuelan people can decide their future.

Fox News: Will you throw your support behind opposition leader María Corina Machado?

Trump: Well, we’re going to have to look at it right now. They have a Vice President.

As you know, I don’t know what kind of an election that was, but the election of Maduro was a disgrace—just like my election was a disgrace. 2020 was a disgrace. And the real disgrace now—2024 was too big to rig.

Trump:

I have a very good relationship with Xi, and there’s not going to be a problem. They’re going to get oil.

We’re going to allow people to have oil.

Trump:

Nobody can stop us. There’s nobody with the capability that we have.

When I watch that war in Russia going on and on and on, with everybody dying, it’s primitive. It’s primitive. It’s horrible.

Russian MFA:

Russia strongly urges the US to release Maduro and his wife.

The U.S. Attorney General releases an indictment against Maduro.

Venezuelan Political Scientist Jesus Rodriguez:

Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is second in the line of succession, constitutional succession, in the case of the absence of President Maduro, so she eventually, in a few hours, I believe, will be announced.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado:

Venezuelans, the hour of freedom has arrived.

Today we are prepared to enforce our mandate and take power.

To Venezuelans inside our country: be ready to carry out what we will very soon communicate to you through our official channels.

To Venezuelans abroad: we need you mobilized, engaging governments and citizens around the world and committing them, starting now, to the great operation of building the new Venezuela.

In these decisive hours, receive all my strength, my confidence, and my affection. Let us all remain alert and in contact.

VENEZUELA WILL BE FREE!