Now Unclear if U.S. will Govern in Venezuela

Sunday, January 04, 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Sunday that the United States would not take a day-to-day role in governing Venezuela ...

Posted by angrydad at 03:31 PM | 23 COMMENTS | permalink

George W. Bush winged it in Iraq after the invasion. The State Dept. spent months coming up with plans on how to govern following the US attack. The White House and DoD ignored them. And there's no way Trump admin. devoted months-or weeks-to preparing for an occupation of Venezuela.

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-- David Corn (@davidcorn.bsky.social) Jan 3, 2026 at 5:42 PM

Comments

... Rubio says US won't govern Venezuela ...

Then who will?

This action against Venezuela reminds me of fmr Pres GW Bush's attack of Iraq. He also did not seem to have an exit plan.

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-04 02:23 PM

Perhaps the Zombie Saddam Hussein is available?

#2 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-04 02:29 PM

Put George Santos in charge.

#3 | Posted by Angrydad at 2026-01-04 02:37 PM

So who is going to take credit for this when civil strife or war breaks out in the power vacuum we seem content leaving?

It's like Iraq but without the feigned attempt at justifying international law requirements nor the hanging around to try and fix the mess created by

#4 | Posted by jpw at 2026-01-04 03:28 PM

I keep getting the feeling... Trumpanzee got played again... in a big @$$ way

#5 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2026-01-04 05:59 PM

... Now Unclear if U.S. will Govern in Venezuela ...

During the news conference, Pres Trump looking like he was reading from a script, said at least twice that the US would be running Venezuela.

For that to happen, the actions by Pres Trump would seem to be more war-oriented than law-enforcement.

Perhaps someone reminded Pres Trump of that, and now the Trump admin seems to be desperately back-tracking from what Pres Trump has said.

Also, speaking of that press conference, Pres Trump also mentioned Venezuela's oil more than 20 times, but did he even mention Democracy once? Not that I heard.

So, what is the real reason for Pres Trump's apparent takeover of Venezuela?

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-04 06:45 PM

If we are not going to "run" Venezuela, what was the point of kidnapping Maduro and killing well over a hundred Venezuelans?

Given the new President is not significantly different from Maduro, do we expect them to work with the US? With oil companies?

If Venezuela does not collapse into internecine violence, will the oil companies go in? If so, how is that different from working with Maduro? What incentive will oil companies need to encourage them to go into Venezuela? Will that be tax payer money to support "development"? If so, how does America ensure the long term protection of said investment, i.e. ensuring what happened previously doesn't happen again?

If we are going to "run" Venezuela, what are the broad strokes of that arrangement? What will we be running? How?

What again was the point of kidnapping Maduro?

What again was the point of any of this?

It is ALMOST like President Piggy hasn't thought this out.

I am open to any concepts of a plan.

#7 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-01-04 06:52 PM

#7 President Piggy = Pedodent of the United States

#8 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-04 06:57 PM

Rubio

"It's not running it. It's running policy."

"We want Venezuela to move in a certain direction, because not only do we think it's good for the people of Venezuela, it's in our national interest," he said.

Well, isn't that comforting.

If they don't do what we want, then what?

Isn't that ummm extortion?

#9 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-01-04 07:00 PM

[President Piggy] in an interview on Sunday issued a warning for Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodrguez.

"If she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro," [President Piggy] told The Atlantic a day after U.S. military forces captured the former leader.

Oh, ok, so there is the threat, said out loud

So, extortion it is

#10 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-01-04 07:02 PM

When the POTUS is literally falling asleep on his feet, his face drooping like a stroke patient, is it really that surprising that he can't even maintain a coherent thought when talking about what comes next?

At this point, everyone who is ignoring his obvious unfitness for office should be mocked mercilessly.

Clowns, the lot of them.

#11 | Posted by chuffy at 2026-01-04 07:13 PM

Unclear why the headline was changed from the linked article.

#12 | Posted by Angrydad at 2026-01-04 08:58 PM

@#7 ... If we are not going to "run" Venezuela ...

My guess, and it is only that ...

Pres Trump thought this would be an easy thing to accomplish.

(Pres Putin also thought that Kyiv would fall and succumb to his unprovoked invasion withing a week or so. But I digress.)

A simple transaction.

The superior US Military Might (which I agree with, btw) vs. a lame Country.

Pres Trump has his eye on the Venezuelan oil reserves, trying to keep his major campaign donors happy.

Chevron already seems to be a player in Venezuela's oil fields.

But, going forward, the will need to be more involvement by Big Oil if Pres Trump's hopes are realized.

My concern at this point...

Venezuela's oil drilling facilities are quite distant from the Venezuela's oil refining locations. That gives any Venezuelan opposition to what is happening a chance to disrupt what is happening.

Stated differently, who will be securing the transport of the crude from the wells to the refineries?

Will Pres Trump need to deploy US Military for that task?

Pres Trump has said, ~no US Troops on the ground.~

But it has been shown time and time again that Pres Trump lies. Voraciously.

So, what's the future we, i.e., the United States, face in Venezuela?

#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-05 01:04 AM

Oil Reserves by Country
www.worldometers.info

...

# Country WorldShare
1 Venezuela 18.17%
2 Saudi Arabia 16.15%
3 Canada 10.35%
4 Iran 9.54%
5 Iraq 8.67%
...

Wow, Venezuela has more oil reserves than Saudi Arabia.

No wonder Pres Trump referred to "oil" over 20 times during his press conference, and did not even mention Democracy.

#14 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-05 01:10 AM

Pres Trump thought this would be an easy thing to accomplish.

In his mind it's a done deal. Time for some golf! Or maybe name something after himself.

#15 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-01-05 01:15 AM

@#15

{sadly}

I wish your comment were incorrect.

#16 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-05 02:32 AM

The White House had no plan for dealing with the fallout. The entire charade is just an ego move by Trump.

#17 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2026-01-05 10:28 AM

Trump did succeed at one thing. He got people to stop talking about Epstein for a few days at a time when the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was trafficking victims to Epstein through the spa at Mar-a-lago despite warnings from Trump's own wife. Management at the spa was even warning girls before they sent out to be assaulted.

#18 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2026-01-05 10:31 AM

This action against Venezuela reminds me of fmr Pres GW Bush's attack of Iraq. He also did not seem to have an exit plan.

#1 | Posted by LampLighter

Now that we have more information, this doesn't remind me of Iraq at all.

Iraq seems downright well planned, properly executed and thoughtful compared to this mess.

What we're seeing is the result of "governance" by an unhinged, demented old man who was a skidmark on the underpants of humanity when he was healthy coupled with input by advisors and inner circle members concerned only with their own end games and desires.

#19 | Posted by jpw at 2026-01-05 11:51 AM

How about now they hold some honest elections for the people to decide who should be in charge.

#20 | Posted by MSgt at 2026-01-05 02:29 PM

Additionally, they do not use mass mailing ballots if they want an honest election.

#21 | Posted by MSgt at 2026-01-05 02:30 PM

@#19 ... What we're seeing is the result of "governance" by an unhinged, demented old man ...

Pres Trump is now saying that the US will run Venezuela.

Will the be American troops on the ground there?

#22 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-05 02:39 PM

Additionally, they do not use mass mailing ballots if they want an honest election.

#21 | Posted by MSgt

Yeah everyone knows if you want an honest election you need in person ballots that are counted by a machine built and programmed by one of the president's supporters.

#23 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-01-05 02:40 PM

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