The White House asserts “maximum leverage” over Venezuela’s interim government, stating it will dictate their decisions following the capture of Nicolas Maduro.
WASHINGTON: The White House stated the United States possesses “maximum leverage” over Venezuela’s interim authorities and will dictate their decisions following the capture of Nicolas Maduro.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the assertion on Wednesday, days after a raid toppled the Venezuelan leader.
“We obviously have maximum leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela right now,” Leavitt told a briefing.
“We’re continuing to be in close coordination with the interim authorities, and their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States of America.”
President Donald Trump will meet with US oil executives on Friday to discuss plans for Venezuela’s oil sector.
Trump has repeatedly stated the US will “run” Venezuela despite having no ground forces there.
Washington appears to rely on a naval blockade of Venezuelan oil exports and the threat of further force to ensure interim president Delcy Rodriguez’s cooperation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted separately that the US has a detailed plan after overthrowing Venezuela’s leader.
“The bottom line is, we’ve gone into great detail with them about the planning,” he told reporters after meeting lawmakers.
The US plan includes an agreement for Venezuela to hand over 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, though Caracas has not confirmed it.
Trump has also said US oil companies will invest in Venezuela’s crumbling facilities, but no company has yet made such pledges.
“The meeting is on Friday, and it’s just a meeting to discuss, obviously, the immense opportunity that is before these oil companies right now,” Leavitt said.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated earlier that Washington will control sales of Venezuelan oil “indefinitely.”
The US is enforcing a blockade to stop unauthorised Venezuelan oil exports, seizing an oil tanker in the North Atlantic on Wednesday.
Leavitt insisted the tanker, which had claimed to be Russian-flagged, was “deemed stateless after flying a false flag.”
“This was a Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel that has transported sanctioned oil,” she said, adding the crew would be prosecuted.
Moscow condemned the seizure operation.
