The president of the United States, Donald Trump, affirmed that no elections will be held in Venezuela in the next 30 days and raised the possibility of a second military attack if the new Venezuelan authorities do not cooperate with Washington’s plans after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. The statement was made in an interview with NBCNewsa few days after the operation that led to the arrest of Maduro and his transfer to the United States to face charges of narcoterrorism.

Trump explained that, before thinking about an electoral process, it is necessary to “fix the country”, in reference to the general situation of Venezuela, which he classified as a “worn out” state. “Elections cannot be held. There is no way for people to vote… we have to help the country recover,” said the US president.

Trump’s position comes amid a context of strong US intervention in Venezuela after an operation that included airstrikes and the capture of Maduro and his wife, both facing legal proceedings in New York on charges related to drug trafficking. Maduro, for his part, pleaded not guilty before a federal court.

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When asked about a possible second military action, Trump was forceful: he did not rule out the possibility of responding forcefully if the designated Venezuelan authorities do not meet the expectations of his administration. “We remain prepared…if they do not behave, we will launch a second attack,” he said from Air Force One, noting that relations with the Venezuelan interim government remain under evaluation.

Trump also referred in critical terms to the main opposition figure, María Corina Machado, questioning her ability to govern the country, and stated that the US Government is in contact with Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in as interim president of Venezuela before the National Assembly after the capture of Maduro.

The president insisted that the United States is not waging a war against Venezuela, but against the groups he considers responsible for drug trafficking that, according to him, affects American territory. However, he stated that the process of stability and reconstruction in Venezuela will take time and that the elections are not contemplated in the immediate term, reflecting a long-range position regarding the political transition promoted by Washington.