Trump's stern warning to Venezuela's new leader

US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Delcy Rodríguez, who is expected to be sworn in as Venezuela's new leader. Trump stated that if she does not "do the right thing," she will have to pay a greater price than former President Nicolás Maduro.

Speaking to ‘The Atlantic’ magazine, the US President further stated that a change in regime in Venezuela would be better than the current situation.

Meanwhile, addressing her first cabinet meeting, Delcy Rodríguez made a direct appeal to President Trump. She emphasized that her people and the region need peace and dialogue, not war. It is reported that former President Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested in an American airstrike last Saturday, is to be presented before a New York court. He faces drug trafficking charges, which Maduro has denied. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that America is not waging war against Venezuela, but against drug trafficking organizations.

Sir Alex Younger, former head of Britain's MI6 secret intelligence service, told the BBC that the current world is governed by the concept that "might is right." He points out that world powers maintain spheres of influence where they can exert their will, dominating their neighboring regions, and that Donald Trump perfectly exemplifies this trend. He states that for Britain to have a decisive influence in such situations, it must rebuild its military strength, adding that taking the lead in Venezuela's current crisis would be fruitless for Britain, and instead, it should focus on developing its domestic capabilities.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in a phone conversation with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, stated that Maduro's departure brings new hope for Venezuela to establish democracy and the rule of law. Both parties agreed that this change would pave the way for a peaceful and democratic transition.

However, Robert Wilkie, an official from Trump's first administration, stated that he has not yet seen a plan for managing the next few days. Although the military operation to arrest Maduro was very successful, he expresses fear about what will happen next. Citing examples like Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, he says that America does not have a good track record in controlling situations after such interventions. However, he emphasizes that this operation is legal under American law because Maduro is considered an illegitimate leader and an international threat.

Venezuelans living in Britain say there are mixed feelings of joy and fear about Maduro's arrest. It is reported that people living in Venezuela are afraid to express their feelings, and there is a strong silence in the country. One Venezuelan woman told BBC Radio that while she doesn't want America to control her country, she has complex feelings about America's step to remove a corrupt individual in a country without democracy.