The United States does not have "boots on the ground" in Venezuela and is not at war with the South American country following the apprehension of Nicolas Maduro, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday.
In multiple interviews, Rubio sought to tamp down fears of a broader military conflict, describing the dramatic raid that captured Maduro as a limited, law-enforcement-focused mission aimed at dismantling a narco-trafficking network operating under the cover of a hostile regime.
"There's not a war," Rubio told "Meet the Press," arguing the U.S. is "at war against drug trafficking organizations" rather than Venezuela itself.
Rubio said Maduro, whom the U.S. has long accused of narco-terrorism, is now in U.S. custody and facing prosecution in the Southern District of New York.
The operation, he said, lasted only hours, and there are currently no American forces stationed inside Venezuela.
Rubio emphasized that the next phase centers on leverage, especially oil.
He described a continuing "oil quarantine" and strict enforcement of U.S. sanctions, including court-authorized seizures of oil shipments.
"We go to court, we get a warrant and seize those boats … and that will continue," Rubio said, adding the U.S. will also reserve the right to strike "drug boats" operated by transnational cartels moving narcotics toward the United States.
Rubio's message was clear: The Trump administration views Venezuela not merely as a foreign policy problem, but as a direct national security issue — a regional hub for drug trafficking and hostile actors, including Iran and Hezbollah.
Rubio said the U.S. would neither tolerate a hemisphere "crossroads for the activities of all of our adversaries around the world," nor a system where military and police forces "openly cooperate" with criminal organizations.
As for who leads Venezuela now, and what does a transition look like, Rubio acknowledged that Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's vice president, is the immediate reality on the ground, with influence over the security apparatus.
But he said Washington is judging the post-Maduro power structure by actions, not promises.
Asked on "Face the Nation" whether Rodriguez offered guarantees, Rubio declined to detail private discussions, calling diplomacy "delicate" and saying the U.S. will "find out" whether new leaders choose compliance or confrontation.
The administration's non-negotiables include halting drug trafficking; ending safe haven status for gangs; cutting ties to Iran, Hezbollah, and other hostile actors; and preventing adversaries from exploiting Venezuela’s vast energy resources.
Rubio argued the oil issue isn’t about U.S. dependence — "We don’t need Venezuela's oil," he said — but about keeping strategic assets in the Western Hemisphere from enriching America's rivals while Venezuelans suffer.
He repeatedly pointed to Venezuela's economic collapse and the mass migration of millions as destabilizing for the region and dangerous for the U.S.
As for democratic elections and opposition figures such as Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez, Rubio expressed admiration but urged realism.
After 15 years of entrenched rule, he said, an immediate election timetable is "premature."
Any pathway forward, he suggested, will depend on whether those holding real power inside Venezuela move toward reforms or face sustained U.S. pressure through sanctions, seizures, and isolation.
Rubio's bottom line was consistent across both Sunday shows: The U.S. executed a high-risk raid to bring a wanted narco leader to justice and will keep tightening the screws through oil enforcement and regional security pressure until Venezuela stops exporting chaos and starts moving in a direction that protects American interests.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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