Netanyahu:

Trump was absolutely unequivocal: Hamas must be disarmed.

There is no alternative. This is a fundamental and essential condition.

There was no concession on this point, and there will be no flexibility on this issue.

Netanyahu:

Four hundred kilograms of enriched material must be removed from Iran.

There must be strict, real supervision over all nuclear sites.

📸 New mural at Palestine Square, Tehran.

Netanyahu:

It is very possible that we are at a moment when the Iranian people are taking their fate into their own hands.

In the weeks before his capture, Maduro repeatedly appeared dancing and engaging in other displays of nonchalance on Venezuelan state television, projecting calm and defiance as the U.S. escalated threats against his government.

What was likely intended as a show of confidence and domestic control was interpreted by U.S. officials as mockery—evidence that Maduro believed Washington was bluffing.

Source: NYT

The Trump administration signaled it would accept Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela’s interim leader, viewing her as a more workable option than opposition figure María Corina Machado.

Rodríguez was seen as a pragmatic economic manager with experience stabilizing the country and overseeing oil production, while Machado, despite winning the 2024 election and later receiving a Nobel Peace Prize, was described by President Trump as lacking the authority and support needed to govern.

Source: NYT

Weeks before Maduro was captured, U.S. officials had already identified Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as an acceptable interim replacement.

Source: NYT

Trump never warmed to opposition leader María Corina Machado, despite her efforts to court his support by echoing his rhetoric and dedicating her Nobel Peace Prize to him.

Source: NYT

Somaliland, recently recognized by Israel, expresses support for the U.S. operation in Venezuela and the capture of Maduro.

NBC News: Why do you oppose working with the opposition leader, María Corina Machado. She’s a Nobel Peace Prize winner as well.

Rubio: The vast majority of the opposition is no longer present inside Venezuela. We have short-term issues that have to be addressed right away.

We expect to see more compliance and cooperation.

Marco Rubio on Venezuela:

Now there are other people in charge of the military and police apparatus there; they are going to have to decide now what direction they want to go.

We hope that they will choose a different direction than the one Maduro picked.

NBC News: How soon will elections be held in Venezuela? Within 30 days?

Rubio: Elections? I think it is premature at this point.

Marco Rubio:

All of the problems we had with Maduro when Maduro was there. We still have those problems in terms of them needing to be addressed.

We are going to give people an opportunity to address those challenges and those problems. Until they address it, they will continue to face this oil quarantine.

They will continue to face pressure from the United States. We will continue to target drug boats if they try to run towards the United States.

We will continue to seize the the boats that are sanctioned with court orders.

We will continue to do that and potentially other things until the things we need to see addressed are addressed.

Marco Rubio:

There's not a war. We are at war against drug trafficking organizations — not a war against Venezuela.

NBC News: Who’s going to run Venezuela? So is it you? Is it Secretary Hegseth?

Rubio: Well, it’s not about “running” the country in that sense. It’s about policy.

We want Venezuela to move in a certain direction.

Rubio to Venezuela’s new leader:

You cannot turn Venezuela into an operating hub for Iran, for Russia, for Hezbollah, for China, or for Cuban intelligence agents. That cannot continue.

You cannot have the largest oil reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the United States.

Rubio on Venezuela:

We do not need Venezuela’s oil. We have plenty of oil in the United States.

What we are not going to allow is for the oil industry in Venezuela to be controlled by adversaries of the United States.

You have to understand: why does China need Venezuela’s oil? Why does Russia need it? Why does Iran need it? They’re not even in this continent.

Rubio:

Why have 8 million people left Venezuela? Eight million — the single largest mass migration probably in modern history — left Venezuela since 2014 because all the wealth of that country was stolen to the benefit of Maduro and his cronies in the regime, but not to the benefit of the people of Venezuela.

You know how destabilizing 8 million migrants is? Do you know the number one fear that Brazil has, that Colombia has, that all these countries in the region have about what’s happening in Venezuela and our involvement? They’re afraid of another mass migration event.

That’s what they fear. This is deeply destabilizing stuff.

Rubio:

The Cuban government is a huge problem. They are in a lot of trouble. I don’t think it is any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime.

Rubio:

The ones who have sort of colonized Venezuela, at least inside the regime, are Cubans. It was Cubans that guarded Maduro.

He was not guarded by Venezuelan bodyguards. He had Cuban bodyguards.

In terms of their internal intelligence — who spies on who inside to make sure there are no traitors — those are all Cubans.

Rubio:

Venezuela looks nothing like Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Middle East — other than the Iranian agents running through there plotting against America.

These are Western countries. People need to stop ascribing apples to oranges.