Trump says a second military strike on Venezuela is possible if leaders do not cooperate

American President Donald Trump said that the United States may launch a second strike in Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro if the remaining members of the ruling party do not cooperate with his efforts to “fix” the country.

Trump’s comments to reporters aboard Air Force One suggested the possibility of further US military intervention in Latin America, and suggested that Colombia and Mexico could also face military action if they do not reduce the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.

“Operation Colombia sounds good to me,” Trump said. He also said that Cuba, which is very close to Venezuela, “looks like it is ready to fall” on its own without a US war.

Maduro is being held in US custody

Maduro is in a detention center in New York awaiting a court appearance on Monday on drug charges. His capture by the United States has created great uncertainty about what’s next for the oil-rich South American nation.

Trump said his administration would work with the remaining members of Maduro’s regime to crack down on drug trafficking and overhaul their oil industry, rather than forcing snap elections to install a new government.

Senior officials in Maduro’s government remain in charge and have called the arrest of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores a kidnapping.

“Here, there is only one president, whose name is Nicolas Maduro Moros. Let no one fall because of the anger of the enemy,” said Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello in a recording released by the ruling PSUV party.

Images of Maduro, 63, blindfolded and handcuffed shocked Venezuelans. The operation was Washington’s most controversial intervention in Latin America, since the invasion of Panama 37 years ago.

Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino said on state television that Venezuela’s military had worked to secure sovereignty, and that the US attack had killed soldiers, civilians and “a large part” of Maduro’s security detail “in cold blood”.

The Cuban government said 32 of its citizens were killed during the raid.

Rodriguez steps in as interim leader

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez – who is also oil minister – has taken over as interim leader with the blessing of Venezuela’s highest court and said Maduro is still president.

Rodriguez has long been considered the most pragmatic member of Maduro’s inner circle. But he has publicly denied Trump’s claims that he is willing to work with America.

Trump said Rodriguez could pay a bigger price than Maduro “if he doesn’t do the right thing,” according to an interview with Atlantic magazine.

Trump cites the influx of Venezuelan immigrants

Once one of the most prosperous nations in Latin America, Venezuela’s economy boomed in the 2000s under President Hugo Chavez and continued under Maduro, sending nearly one in five Venezuelans abroad in one of the world’s largest exodus.

Trump said the influx of Venezuelans immigrating to the United States also contributed to the decision to kidnap Maduro.

“What really played a role (in the decision to arrest Maduro) is that he sent millions of people to our country out of prisons and mental institutions, drug dealers, everyone who uses drugs in his country was sent to our country,” said Trump.

Venezuela’s government has said for months that Trump wanted to take over the country’s natural resources, especially its oil, and officials have done much of what Trump said big American oil companies would do.

“We are tired and angry because everything finally came out – it turned out that they only want our oil,” said Cabello.

US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the White House failed to say how long the US intends to stay in Venezuela and how many US troops would be needed.

“The American people are worried that this is creating an endless war — the very thing that Donald Trump campaigned on,” Schumer said on ABC’s ‘This Week.’ He said lawmakers will weigh a measure to force the continuation of the Trump administration in Venezuela, although its chances are uncertain if Congress is controlled by Trump’s Republicans.