Trump admin issues ultimatum to Venezuela’s new leadership

 Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently laid out the Donald Trump administration’s terms for dealing with Venezuela’s interim leadership after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Knewz.com has learned that over several televised statements, Rubio said Washington would sustain maximum pressure on Venezuela until drug trafficking networks, foreign influence and oil sector corruption are dismantled.

Notably, he framed the strategy as a mix of law enforcement and geopolitical leverage, not a declaration of war.

U.S. to continue enforcing naval ‘oil quarantine’

Rubio said the U.S. would continue enforcing a naval “oil quarantine” targeting sanctioned Venezuelan crude, describing it as a central pressure point.

“There’s a quarantine right now in which sanctioned oil shipments… We go get a court order, we will seize it,” he said on CBS News.

He added that the policy would remain until changes are made that serve U.S. interests and “lead to a better future for the people of Venezuela.”

The secretary of state further warned that American leverage — military, legal or economic — would not be relaxed prematurely.

“That’s a tremendous amount of leverage that will continue to be in place until we see changes,” Rubio said, signaling no near-term sanctions relief.

Maduro family indicted

President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to New York following a U.S. Delta Force-led nighttime military operation on January 3.

President Donald Trump said the operation would allow the U.S. to “run” Venezuela and tap its oil reserves for global markets.

At a news conference, Rubio and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said that the raid — Operation Absolute Resolve — was carried out on behalf of the Department of Justice.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro, Flores and their son have been indicted on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges in the Southern District of New York.

Maduro had previously been indicted in March 2020, and in August 2025, the U.S. doubled its bounty to $50 million for information leading to his arrest.

Maduro has denied any wrongdoing.

Rubio outlines core U.S. demands

Rubio outlined three core demands: dismantling drug trafficking networks, removing Hezbollah, Iran and other foreign actors from the country, and rebuilding the oil sector with safeguards so revenue reaches the public rather than elites.

“What we are focused on right now is all of the problems we had when Maduro was there. … We are going to give people an opportunity to address those challenges. … Until they address it, they will continue to face this oil quarantine. They will continue to face pressure from the United States,” he said on NBC News’ Meet the Press.

Notably, Venezuela’s Supreme Court has granted Vice President Delcy Rodríguez full executive powers as acting president.

Rubio confirmed U.S. contact with Rodríguez but offered no guarantees of future recognition or leadership arrangements.

“We’re going to make an assessment on the basis of what they do,” he said.

Question of who will lead Venezuela remains unresolved

In the aftermath of Maduro’s removal, the question of who will lead Venezuela remains unresolved.

Vice President Rodríguez, who was granted full executive powers by Venezuela’s Supreme Court, is currently in charge, while 2025 Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition figure María Corina Machado has been sidelined.

Rubio praised Machado as “fantastic” but declined to discuss her role in future leadership, saying, “We are dealing with the immediate reality.”

He also pointed to the weakened position of the opposition inside Venezuela.

Rubio did not confirm whether Rodríguez has agreed to U.S. conditions but said, “We’re going to find out … and we are going to work to continue to see that happen.”

Other senior officials, including Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, remain in power with U.S. indictments and bounties on their heads — a choice Rubio defended, saying, “We got the top priority.”

When asked about quick elections, he said, “These things take time,” adding that transforming Venezuela will not occur “in the next 15 hours.”

Rubio stressed U.S. focus on security, democracy and stability, saying, “Ultimately, we care about elections, we care about democracy. … But the No. 1 thing we care about is the safety, security … of the United States.”