Trump Rules Out Venezuela’s Opposition Leader Machado Taking Power

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he did not see Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as a potential replacement for Nicolas Maduro after he was removed from power overnight.

Newsweek reached out to Machado’s team for comment on Saturday afternoon.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within – or the respect within – the country,” Trump said, adding that he thought she was a “very nice woman” when addressing the potential for her to take power.

Trump said that the U.S. had not been in contact with Machado at any point on Saturday, when the U.S. entered Venezuela and launched strikes on Caracas as American forces captured Maduro and extracted him from the country. He is headed to the U.S. to face trial.

Trump had earlier in the press conference said that the U.S. would look to run Venezuela and help build up and expand its oil infrastructure.

“We have to be surrounded by safe, secure countries, and we also have to have energy – very important – we have to have energy that’s real energy,” Trump said.

This is a breaking news story. Updates will follow.

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