US President Donald Trump proclaimed himself Venezuela’s “Acting President” in a social media post featuring his image in the role, days after American forces captured the country’s ousted leader Nicolas Maduro in a bold military raid aimed at prosecuting him on drug and weapons charges.
The provocative declaration on Trump’s Truth Social platform came as Washington signaled plans to oversee Venezuela’s transition, with the president stating his administration would “run” the nation and its vast oil resources during the interim period.
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were detained on January 3 in an operation Trump described as necessary to combat alleged criminal activities, paving the way for their trials in a New York court.
In the wake of Maduro’s removal, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim leader, and her administration has begun engaging with US officials, including a delegation sent to Caracas to assess reopening the American embassy.
