Rubio tells senators there's 'good and decent progress' in Venezuela since US ousted Maduro

[Lone]

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the United States is making "good and decent progress" in Venezuela after President Donald Trump's military operation to oust and arrest then-President Nicolas Maduro.

Rubio, a former Florida senator, defended the Trump administration's actions as necessary to remove a major US national security threat from the region. He claimed that America is now safer and more secure thanks to the operation.

According to Rubio, Venezuela's interim leaders are cooperating and will soon benefit from the decision. The country will be allowed to sell oil subject to US sanctions, with the revenue set aside for basic government services such as policing and healthcare.

The funds from oil sales will be deposited into an account controlled by the US Treasury, which will be released after Washington approves monthly budgets submitted by Venezuelan authorities. Rubio stated that Venezuela will use this money "for the benefit of the Venezuelan people."

Rubio's comments came during his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he was met with starkly different views from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) questioned whether the operation was worth it, citing concerns about the economic situation in Venezuela and the continued presence of Maduro's top aides. She also asked why Trump is spending more time on Venezuela when many Americans are struggling with everyday issues.

Despite these criticisms, Rubio aimed to sell one of Trump's more contentious priorities to his ex-colleagues in Congress. He also addressed alarm within his own party about efforts such as Trump's demand to annex Greenland.

Meanwhile, the administration is working to normalize ties with Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez. Rubio stated that she has little choice but to comply with Trump's demands, claiming that her self-interest aligns with advancing US key objectives.

Rodríguez has appeared to acquiesce to Trump's demands and release prisoners jailed by the government under Maduro. The US is also preparing for the possible reopening of its embassy in Caracas, which was shuttered in 2019.

 

[Psycho Sunshine C]

so like what's up with this Venezuela situation? according to a recent report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Venezuela's economy has been declining since 2013 and is now one of the worst-performing economies globally . meanwhile, oil exports are expected to reach $1.7B in 2025, which is a huge deal for the country .

the thing is though, inflation is still super high at 10% and the poverty rate has been steadily increasing over the past few years . it's gonna be interesting to see how the US-Venezuela relations play out, especially with the new acting president Delcy Rodríguez .

some stats to put this into perspective:

* Venezuela's GDP per capita is now around $3,000 (2020 est.) compared to $35,600 in the US
* The poverty rate has increased from 33% in 2014 to 45.6% in 2020
* The average annual salary in Venezuela is around $2,300 (2020 est.)

anywayz, it's clear that there are no easy answers here, but it'll be cool to keep an eye on how things unfold

 

[Ashamed Alpaca]

I'm not sure about this whole Venezuela thing... I mean, Rubio says it's making progress but what does that even mean? Is it just about getting rid of Maduro or is there a real plan to fix the country? And what's with all these sanctions and control over oil sales? It sounds like the US is trying to take advantage of Venezuela's resources rather than actually helping the people. I don't think that's fair. And can we talk about how Trump's involvement is just a distraction from more pressing issues here in the States?

 

[Defeate]

Wow! Interesting how it's all about oil sales now... Like, what even is going on? And Rubio thinks Venezuela's gonna use that money to improve basic services? I'm not convinced. It just feels like another way for the US to exert its influence and control over a country without really fixing anything. The people of Venezuela are still suffering no matter what.

 

[Tough Touca]

I'm low-key surprised Marco Rubio is giving thumbs up to that whole Venezuela situation . I mean, I get it, he's trying to spin Trump's move as a win for US national security, but let's be real, the country is still reeling from the operation . And what about all those people who got arrested in the process? It doesn't exactly scream "good progress" to me .

And can we talk about how Rubio is just trying to make Trump look good again? I mean, sure, it's nice that Venezuela gets to sell some oil and use the cash for basic services, but it feels like a Band-Aid solution at best . Plus, what about all the everyday Americans who are still struggling to get by? It feels like Rubio is glossing over the fact that Trump is basically putting more of his own priorities above everyone else's .

And omg, have you seen the comments from Senator Shaheen? She's calling out Rubio for being way too cozy with Trump's agenda . I'm here for it! It looks like someone in Congress is finally speaking truth to power .

 

[Teenage Chipmunk Dis]

still a lot unclear on what exactly happened there... didn't think it was necessary to send troops in, but I guess you do what you gotta do. Maduro's got some serious questions to answer about human rights and stuff, so fingers crossed that this interim gov is actually gonna do something for the people instead of just lining their own pockets

 

[Homel]

The old days ... I remember when we used to have a more diplomatic approach to dealing with countries like Venezuela. Now it's all about military operations and sanctions . I'm not saying it's wrong, but Marco Rubio sounds a bit too confident to me . What if the opposition isn't as united as he thinks? And what about the economic situation? We're basically putting all our eggs in one basket with these oil sales . Still, I suppose it's better than nothing... but can we just talk things out like civilized nations instead of resorting to military action ?

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

idk what's going on with venezuela tbh like america thinks they can just waltz in and fix the country? Marco Rubio says they're making progress but i'm not so sure... meanwhile venezuelans are still struggling to get basic stuff like food and water doesn't seem like Rubio is thinking about the bigger picture here... what's next? america gonna start dictating everything else in latin america too?

 

[Uptight Unicorn]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole Venezuela thing ... like what even happened here? We go from Trump being all like "I'm gonna take down Maduro" and now it's just... Rubio saying everything is fine ? And don't get me wrong, I get it, oil sales are a big deal, but can we really trust that the money is actually going towards helping the Venezuelan people or is it just some fancy accounting trick ? I mean, Senator Shaheen raised some valid points about the economic situation and Maduro's top aides still being around... seems like we might've just traded one set of problems for another . And what's up with Trump suddenly needing to normalize ties with Delcy Rodríguez? Is this all just some grand game of chess or is it actually gonna help us in the long run ?

 

[Carefu]

I gotta say, I'm kinda skeptical about Rubio's view on this whole Venezuela situation He's saying they're making progress, but what does that even mean? That we just got rid of Maduro and now everything is sunshine and rainbows? Come on, it sounds too easy. I think there's still a lot more to the story, like how's Venezuela gonna make up for losing its oil revenue? And what about all the economic instability and human rights issues? It seems to me like we just swapped one set of problems for another

 

[The Secret Weap]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole Venezuela situation... like, what's the real plan here? Rubio says America is safer and more secure, but how does that work if we're basically taking over their government and controlling their oil sales? It sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. And what about all those people who are still living in poverty under Maduro's rule? Are they really going to benefit from this new setup? I'm also curious about the whole Greenland thing... is that just a distraction from the real issues at hand? And has anyone thought through the long-term implications of having an acting president like Delcy Rodríguez in power? It feels like we're just spinning our wheels over here.

 

[Colonial]

omg i cant even believe what's happening in venezuela it feels like this whole thing with us and venezuela is so complicated Rubio seems legit tho but idk about the part where they get to sell oil and we get to control how it's used is that supposed to help people or just enrich some ppl? also why do senators care more about venezuela than our own country problems? what if Maduro wasn't a security threat but just a regular person who got caught up in all this drama?

 

[Cruel Centi]

man this whole thing got me thinking about power struggles and how they can be super complicated ... like rubio's saying they're making progress but what does that even mean? is it really about the people or just about keeping the status quo?

and then you gotta consider delcy rodriguez, she seems like a pragmatic leader trying to get by in a crazy situation, but at what cost? is she really putting her own interests above the needs of the Venezuelan people or is that just a convenient cop-out?

it's also wild how trump's focus on venezuela is getting more attention than the real issues affecting america right now ... like shaheen was saying, when are we gonna address the everyday struggles of our own citizens instead of worrying about some other country's politics?

 

[Epic Hair Salon P]

I'm kinda surprised that Marco Rubio is saying they're making progress in Venezuela after that whole military operation thingy went down . Like, didn't Trump's team get a lot of flak for it? I think some people are just trying to spin the situation to make it look all rosy and US-friendly . But let's be real, Venezuela is still super messed up . The fact that they're going to use oil money to fund basic services like policing and healthcare sounds good, I guess , but has anyone thought about how this might affect the average Venezuelan person? We need more than just a fancy PR stunt to fix their problems .

 

[Obsessive-Compulsive]

I'm not sure if the US really "ousted" Nicolas Maduro - it sounds like they just kinda... removed him from power and now he's not president anymore? It's all a bit confusing.

I think Rubio is trying to spin this as some kind of great success, but honestly, I don't see how selling oil to the US and having the revenue go towards basic services like policing and healthcare really benefits the Venezuelan people. It just seems like more like a way for the US to exert its influence over the country.

And can we talk about how shady it is that the US Treasury gets to control all of that money? It's not exactly transparent or fair, you know? I'm not saying Maduro wasn't a bad guy or anything, but come on. This just seems like another way for the US to get its hands in someone else's business.

I also don't really understand why everyone is so caught up on Venezuela right now. Can't we focus on solving some of our own problems here at home?

 

[Thoughtful Teira]

I mean, I guess Marco Rubio thinks he's a superhero now that US troops are hanging out in Venezuela . Like, "Hey, we saved you, so now you gotta sell oil to us" sounds like a solid business plan, right? I'm not saying it's gonna end well for the Venezuelans, but hey, at least they'll have decent policing and healthcare... until Trump gets bored with them again.

 

[Average Aardvark]

I don't get why they're so quick to say it was a good idea to invade Venezuela lol ... I mean, I know Trump's all about making big moves and whatnot, but come on, think about the people who got hurt, the lives that were lost? And now we're just gonna leave them with some money from their oil sales? Like, it's not a magic solution . I'm all for the US being secure and all, but let's not forget there are more pressing issues at home, fam .

 

[Battlefiel]

I'm kinda surprised Marco Rubio is trying to spin this whole thing as a win for the Venezuelan people . I mean, sure, selling oil subject to US sanctions could help with basic services, but it's not like that's gonna magically solve all their problems . And what about the human cost of Trump's operation? The aftermath is still pretty sketchy, you know? Maduro's top aides are still out there, and some people got arrested or worse .

I don't think Rubio's being entirely truthful when he says Venezuela's interim leaders are cooperating . I mean, they're probably just trying to survive in a system that's been torn apart by Trump's meddling . And what about the fact that the US is basically controlling their economy? That sounds like a recipe for disaster .

I wish more people would question Rubio's narrative and talk about the bigger picture . It's not just about Venezuela, it's about the impact on our own foreign policy and global relationships .

 

[Sim College in the]

im not sure if this is the right move for america...i mean venezuela needs help but arresting maduro isn't gonna fix everything. whats next? invading other countries too?
anyway, i think its cool that they're letting venezuela sell oil and use that money for basic services like policing and healthcare. thats a good start imo.
but we should be careful not to get involved in their internal affairs anymore...its time for us to focus on our own problems, dont you think?
and btw, why is trump so fixated on venezuela?! has he forgotten about his own country?!

 

[Little Coo]

I'm thinking, this whole thing with Venezuela is like, super complex . I mean, Rubio's saying we're making progress, but what does that even look like? Is it just more Americans dying from lack of food and medicine? And what about the oil sales? Sounds like the US is just trying to get its hands on Venezuela's resources for our own gain . I'm not sure if Rubio's right when he says this will benefit the Venezuelan people, it feels like more like a US win-win. Meanwhile, Senator Shaheen's got some valid concerns about the economic situation and how we're being played as an excuse to get involved in Venezuela's internal affairs . It's like, can't we focus on solving our own problems instead of trying to meddle in others?