US not at war with Venezuela, Rubio says, as Maduro held in NY jail

Highlights

• Marco Rubio says US action against Maduro was a law enforcement operation, not a war
• Nicolas Maduro is being held in a New York jail following his arrest
• US did not seek congressional approval, saying the move was not an invasion
• Washington will judge Venezuela by actions on drugs and migration, not statements
• US does not recognise the legitimacy of Venezuela's current regime

The United States is not at war with Venezuela despite the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, stressing that Washington's actions were part of a law enforcement operation, not a military invasion.

Maduro is currently being held in a New York jail following an operation carried out by US authorities, according to US officials, reports BBC.

Speaking to multiple US media outlets on Sunday (4 January), Rubio rejected claims that the move amounted to a war against Venezuela.

"That's not a war against Venezuela," Rubio told NBC. "We are at war against drug trafficking organisations. That is not a war against the Venezuelan people."

Rubio said congressional authorisation was not required because the operation was not an invasion but a targeted law enforcement action.

He told ABC News that Maduro was arrested on the ground by FBI agents and that notifying Congress beforehand could have risked leaks and operational failure.

Venezuela's Maduro sits in US custody as loyalists vow defiance

The secretary of state said the US would judge Venezuela's future leadership by actions rather than statements, particularly on issues such as drug trafficking and migration. He added that Washington would retain "multiple levers of leverage" if Venezuela failed to make what he described as the "right decisions".

Those measures include the continuation of an oil quarantine and the seizure of sanctioned tankers under US court orders. Rubio warned that the pressure could have a crippling impact on Venezuela's economy unless changes are made.

Asked why the US did not arrest more senior figures from Maduro's government, Rubio said expanding the operation would have triggered severe international backlash. "We got the top priority," he told CBS, referring to Maduro's arrest.

Rubio reiterated that the US does not recognise the legitimacy of the current Venezuelan regime and declined to say whether Interim President Delcy Rodríguez should be considered the country's lawful leader. He said legitimacy would only come through a transition process and elections.

While expressing hope that Maduro's removal could eventually lead to "a better Venezuela", Rubio made clear that US national interests remained the primary concern. "Our number one objective is America," he said, citing drugs, gangs, and migration as key security threats Washington wants addressed.