Washington, Jan 6 (NationPress) President Donald Trump declared that the United States is not engaged in a conflict with Venezuela and stated that there will be no immediate push for elections in the nation. He emphasized that the country must first undergo stabilization and infrastructure rebuilding following the ousting of its leader, Nicolas Maduro.

In a special interview with NBC News, Trump noted that Venezuela will not conduct elections in the upcoming 30 days due to the challenging conditions on the ground, making voting impractical. “We need to mend the country first,” Trump asserted. “You can’t have an election if people can’t even vote.”

The president indicated that Washington's priority is to restore basic order and rejuvenate the economy. “We have to nurse the country back to health,” he added, suggesting that this transition would require time.

Trump mentioned that US oil companies could play a pivotal role in revitalizing Venezuela’s energy framework, a project he estimated could be completed in under 18 months. He indicated that the United States may subsidize part of this initiative, but insisted that oil companies would ultimately incur the expenses and recoup their investments.

“A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue,” Trump stated.

He dismissed allegations that the US is waging war against Venezuela. “No, we’re not,” he remarked. “We’re fighting against those who traffic drugs. We’re fighting against those who release their criminals and drug addicts into our country.”

Trump attributed the collapse of Venezuela to its leadership, which he accused of exporting crime and instability. Maduro was taken during a US operation in Caracas and has since been charged in New York with offenses including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine trafficking.

Trump stated that Rodríguez has been cooperating with US officials but denied any prior communication between Washington and her faction before Maduro’s ousting.

“No, that’s not the case,” Trump clarified, adding that a decision will soon be made regarding the continuation of sanctions against Rodríguez.

When asked who is ultimately in charge of Venezuela, Trump simply replied: “Me.”

He remarked that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been actively involved in dialogues with Venezuela’s leadership, highlighting that Rubio “speaks to her fluently in Spanish” and their “relationship has been very strong.”

Trump also suggested that the United States is prepared to initiate a second military incursion if cooperation deteriorates, although he expressed skepticism that such action would be necessary. “We’re prepared to do it,” he said. “We anticipated doing it, actually.”

He brushed aside criticisms regarding the lack of congressional approval for the operation, asserting that lawmakers were informed of US actions. “We have good support congressionally,” he noted, while refraining from detailing who was privy to the information.