Trump on Venezuela: no leader, war and plans

At a recent press conference on the situation in Venezuela, former U.S. President Donald Trump made several sharp statements. He said that within the country, "Machado is not respected," and that "there is no one who could take power." Trump noted that Venezuela's vice president stated, "We will do whatever you need," believing she is ready "to do what is necessary to make Venezuela great."

Trump also commented on the potential killing of Adolf Maduro, saying, "Maduro's killing could have happened," and that "he tried to reach the shelter (bunker)." He added that Maduro "regrets not surrendering earlier when it was offered." Regarding Cuba, he made critical remarks, calling the country "bankrupt" and expressing willingness to help its people.

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump stated, "I inherited this situation," and that "it's complete chaos." He believed that "if our people were involved in this conflict, it wouldn't have lasted very long," mentioning that the situation has been funded by the U.S. since at least 2014.

Trump also noted that "the president of Colombia really needs to be careful" and stated that "he is not fond of Putin," criticizing "the killing of too many people."

Context

In early 2019, Venezuela plunged into an economic and political crisis when military and opposition groups triggered waves of protests against the incumbent president, Nicolás Maduro, with the conflict continuing to the present day.