Trump's capture of Maduro sparks predictable split among world leaders
Here are 7 responses from global leaders
2. Marco Rubio: 'The President is not a game player'
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that “the President of the United States is not a game player.” He added, “When he tells you he’s going to do something and address a problem, he means it.”
Rubio’s post came just hours after Trump declared that the U.S. military had successfully apprehended Maduro and Cilia Flores in a nighttime raid. Trump also announced that Washington would govern Venezuela until “a safe, proper and judicious transition” was possible, although no specific plan or timeframe has been outlined.
Rubio’s message reinforced the administration’s position that the action was consistent with U.S. self-defense powers under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, which recognizes the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a U.N. member state.
The U.S. has long viewed Maduro as a threat to regional security, accusing him of running a state-backed narco-terror network in coordination with Colombia’s FARC rebels. Officials have linked his government to large-scale drug trafficking, arms deals and alliances with hostile foreign actors, including Iran and Hezbollah, asserting that these activities directly endanger American interests.
