US President Donald Trump has signaled that Venezuela is not yet ready for free and fair elections, citing the country's deteriorating state as a major obstacle. In an interview with Fox News, Trump stated that the US must "rebuild" Venezuela before it can hold such polls.
Trump believes the country's collapse into chaos renders it incapable of conducting elections fairly. He went so far as to say that Venezuela's current state would not even know how to organize an election, likening it to a Third World nation in disarray.
As part of his efforts to exert control over the oil-rich nation, Trump announced plans to meet with top oil executives on Friday to discuss investment and rebuilding strategies. According to Trump, US companies are expected to inject at least $100 billion into Venezuela's oil infrastructure.
Trump made it clear that his administration will be taking a leading role in rebuilding Venezuela's oil industry, stating that they will "be in charge" of the process. He expressed confidence that this effort would yield significant profits and pave the way for future elections.
The President also revealed plans to meet with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. However, Trump expressed doubt about her ability to secure widespread support and ultimately lead the country.
With Vice President Delcy Rodriguez serving as acting president since Maduro's capture, Trump's actions have left Venezuela in a state of uncertainty. It remains to be seen whether his efforts will ultimately lead to free and fair elections or exacerbate the nation's ongoing crisis.
Trump believes the country's collapse into chaos renders it incapable of conducting elections fairly. He went so far as to say that Venezuela's current state would not even know how to organize an election, likening it to a Third World nation in disarray.
As part of his efforts to exert control over the oil-rich nation, Trump announced plans to meet with top oil executives on Friday to discuss investment and rebuilding strategies. According to Trump, US companies are expected to inject at least $100 billion into Venezuela's oil infrastructure.
Trump made it clear that his administration will be taking a leading role in rebuilding Venezuela's oil industry, stating that they will "be in charge" of the process. He expressed confidence that this effort would yield significant profits and pave the way for future elections.
The President also revealed plans to meet with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. However, Trump expressed doubt about her ability to secure widespread support and ultimately lead the country.
With Vice President Delcy Rodriguez serving as acting president since Maduro's capture, Trump's actions have left Venezuela in a state of uncertainty. It remains to be seen whether his efforts will ultimately lead to free and fair elections or exacerbate the nation's ongoing crisis.
. Trump thinks he can just swoop in and "rebuild" Venezuela like it's some kind of game? Newsflash, dude: you can't just fix a country by throwing money at it and expecting everything to be okay. It's not that simple. And what's with the whole "they wouldn't know how to organize an election" thing? That's super condescending and dismissive of the Venezuelan people.
... They need some real change, but at least he's talking to Machado, that's a good start 
. I mean, $100 billion to rebuild the oil industry? That sounds like a lot of money to me 
... What if it just gets sucked up by the same old corrupt people in power? 
Trump saying they'll be "in charge" of the process is weird too... Like, who exactly is he gonna put in charge? Maduro's still acting president or something? 
And what about the people? They're the ones who really need help and support here 
. I don't know, man, this whole thing just feels like a lot of hot air to me 
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and meeting with machado doesn't even seem to be about supporting her as leader but more about using her as some kinda puppet 
i'm not buying it, trump's just trying to exert control over the country and its resources 
. As a parent, it breaks my heart to think that innocent kids are suffering because of the political instability. Trump saying that Venezuela isn't ready for free and fair elections just makes me want to shake my head. Like, how can we not have an election when people are dying every day?
. Just because she won the Nobel Peace Prize doesn't mean she's going to magically fix everything. We need to listen to her, support her, and work together with the Venezuelan people to build a better future for everyone.
Trump's approach seems like a classic case of interference which might only make things worse in Venezuela 
. Trump's 'rebuilding' plan sounds suspiciously like a way to exploit Venezuela's resources for US gain. And let's be real, the guy has been saying some pretty outlandish things about elections and governance in the past... I'm not sure I trust his assessment of Venezuela's readiness for free and fair polls 
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