Rubio says US not at war with Venezuela as Maduro due in New York court

WASHINGTON DC: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States is not at war with Venezuela, a day after US forces carried out strikes in the country.

According to a spokesperson, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores—who were taken into US custody—are expected to appear before a New York court on Monday.

Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino, has claimed that the US operation resulted in the deaths of many members of Maduro’s security team as well as civilians, whom he described as innocent.

The Venezuelan government has condemned the incident as “military aggression,” while the armed forces have announced their support for interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

This development is significant because it suggests that, despite former US President Donald Trump’s assertion that the United States would now control the country, Maduro’s allies remain in power, according to a South America correspondent.

Trump told The Atlantic that Rodríguez would “pay a heavy price” if she failed to “do what is right.”

Meanwhile, a Venezuelan citizen told the BBC that he fears the situation could undermine the prospects for a peaceful transfer of power.

(Inputs from BBC)