In a significant development, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has laid out a detailed American strategy for Venezuela, contingent on the removal of its current President, Nicolás Maduro. The plan, described as a "three-fold process," aims to guide the South American nation through stabilisation, economic recovery, and a political transition.
The Three-Phase Roadmap for Venezuela
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill this Wednesday, Rubio provided a blueprint for US involvement in a post-Maduro Venezuela. The first and immediate phase is focused on preventing the country from descending into chaos. Rubio emphasised that the US currently holds significant leverage, primarily through its economic quarantine and sanctions. He revealed that two more ships were seized just today, highlighting ongoing enforcement.
"We are in the midst right now and about to execute on a deal to take all the oil - they have oil that is stuck in Venezuela. They can't move it because of our quarantine and because it's sanctioned," Rubio stated. He confirmed that the US is preparing to take control of between 30 and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil currently stranded by these measures.
The oil will be sold at prevailing market rates, not at the discounted prices Venezuela previously secured. Crucially, Rubio asserted that the proceeds from these sales would be managed in a controlled manner, with the stated intent that the funds "benefit the Venezuelan people," though the exact dispersal mechanism remains under US oversight.
Recovery and Reconciliation on the Agenda
The second phase of the US plan shifts focus to economic revival and national healing. Rubio termed this the "recovery" stage, which involves ensuring fair market access for American, Western, and other international companies to Venezuela's key sectors, notably its oil industry.
Simultaneously, this phase would initiate a process of national reconciliation. This includes facilitating the release of opposition figures from prisons and enabling the return of exiled leaders, thereby starting the work of rebuilding Venezuela's civil society.
Final Transition and Greenland Remarks
"The third phase will be one of transition," Rubio added, noting that some elements of these stages would overlap. He promised more detailed information in the coming days but expressed optimism about the plan's forward momentum.
In related international matters, Rubio also addressed the ongoing discussion about Greenland. He confirmed plans to meet with Danish officials next week, following renewed assertions from the Trump administration about US interest in acquiring the strategic Arctic island. Rubio clarified that the administration's preference is a purchase, not the use of force. He also noted that President Trump's interest in Greenland dates back to his first term, and he is not the first US president to consider such an acquisition.
This comprehensive outline from the top US diplomat signals a prepared and structured approach to what Washington sees as an inevitable political change in Caracas, while also tying up loose ends on other geopolitical fronts.
