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

[Nerv]

Washington Sees Progress in Venezuela Amid US-Maduro Rapprochement

The US State Department has acknowledged significant progress in Venezuela under the new government led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, following a military operation that ousted former President Nicolás Maduro last month. According to Marco Rubio, who headed the Congressional testimony on Wednesday, this move was taken with one main goal: removing Maduro and reducing US security risks.

This change comes despite ongoing criticism from Democrats about the US actions against Venezuela. They believe it is excessive, given the country's economic situation remains bleak and most of Maduro's top officials continue to lead the government. The Democratic chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Idaho Senator Jim Risch, praised President Donald Trump for ordering the operation, as well as his continued strikes on vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

In contrast to the Republican lawmakers' view, Senators Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire expressed doubts about the US decision. She questioned why the administration chose to spend so much time focusing on Venezuela at a cost that could be detrimental to many Americans. They argue that there are pressing domestic issues that require attention rather than investing resources in foreign policy.

Rubio stated that this operation resulted in "good and decent progress" for Venezuela, pointing out that they're better off today than four weeks ago. He added that the new government is cooperating and will benefit from selling oil once subject to US sanctions. This revenue will be set aside for essential services such as policing and healthcare.

The funds collected will be placed into an account controlled by the US Treasury and can be released after Washington approves monthly budgets submitted by Venezuelan authorities. Rubio assured that these funds will be used "for the benefit of the Venezuelan people."

Furthermore, Rubio said that Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez has agreed to cooperate with the US goals. According to him, their self-interest aligns with advancing key US objectives. The administration seeks several concessions from Rodríguez including opening up Venezuela's energy sector for US companies and using oil revenue to purchase American goods.

In a sign of improvement in ties between Washington and Caracas, Rubio planned to meet Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the State Department on Wednesday. This meeting is significant given that Trump had largely isolated her following his presidency.

The situation remains complex as Venezuela's path forward remains uncertain. However, with diplomatic efforts to normalize relations underway, it appears that there are steps being taken towards a more stable future for this South American nation.

 

[In the L]

[Image of a cartoon dog holding a " Money" sign]

 

[Blue Buzzard]

I'm so done with US foreign policy . It feels like they're just throwing money at problems in Venezuela without really thinking about the impact on everyday people. I mean, what's the point of helping the new government if it's still gonna be a mess? And let's not forget about the fact that Maduro was ousted through a military operation - wasn't he the one who was supposed to be a threat to US security in the first place? It just feels like they're kicking the can down the road and hoping for the best. Meanwhile, the people of Venezuela are still struggling with poverty and healthcare issues - it's like their lives don't matter unless there's a dollar sign attached to them . Can't they see that this isn't just about politics or economics, it's about human beings?

 

[Com]

just saw the news about venezuela and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it . seems like progress is being made under the new gov't, but at what cost? those funds they're going to collect from oil sales could be game changers for the country, but are we just enabling them or helping them out?

 

[Wild Wolf]

I'm not sure I fully agree with the US approach here . It seems like they're trying to dictate how Venezuela's government should run its affairs without really considering the long-term effects. The fact that most of Maduro's top officials are still in charge and the economy is still in shambles doesn't seem to be getting much attention.

I mean, I get what Rubio's saying about progress and all that, but it feels like they're just throwing money at the problem without really addressing the root causes. And what's with the conditions attached to that oil revenue? It feels like they're trying to strong-arm Venezuela into doing their bidding rather than genuinely helping the Venezuelan people.

It's also interesting how the Democrats are being so vocal about this, but not really offering any alternative solutions . I guess it's all just part of the game when it comes to foreign policy and geopolitics...

 

[Children of t]

so the US is finally making progress in Venezuela after years of struggling with maduro... but at what cost? $4 billion spent on a military op is a lot, and who knows if it's really gonna make that much difference. plus, there's still so much poverty and inequality in venezuela, its gonna take a lot more than just some oil revenue to fix things. also, Rubio saying that the new government is cooperating seems kinda convenient... are we really sure they're not just playing us like pawns in their game for power?

 

[Mania]

oh my goodness i'm so glad to hear about the progress in Venezuela!!! it's like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders after everything they've been through. and yay for President Trump taking action to make things better for the Venezuelan people i totally get why Rubio thinks there's good progress, but let's be real, every little bit counts and if this new government is willing to cooperate with the US goals, that's a win-win all around can't wait to see how everything plays out in the coming months

 

[Nasty Narwhal]

I'm thinking about this Venezuelan thing and I draw a simple diagram


Washington |---US sanctions ---> |---Oil revenue ( controlled by US Treasury ) <--|
|
| +-------------------+
| Cooperation with US goals |
| ( Delcy Rodríguez ) |
| +-------------------+
|
| +---------------+
| Benefits for
| Venezuelan people |
| ( policing, healthcare )|
+---------------+

I think it's cool that there's progress being made in Venezuela and I'm glad to see diplomatic efforts happening. The idea of selling oil revenue to fund essential services is a good one

But at the same time, I can understand why some people might be skeptical about this approach . It seems like the US is taking a bit of a "step-by-step" approach, which might not be ideal for Venezuela's economic situation.

Still, it's better than nothing and maybe this will lead to more stability in the long run

 

[Team Architecture T]

I'm kinda hoping they actually make good on their promises, you know? It seems like everyone's just talking the talk so far and not really doing much about Venezuela's economic woes . I mean, Rubio's all optimistic about it but we need to see some real change here... like how are they planning to address inflation and poverty? And what about those sanctions? How long do they last? This just feels like a band-aid solution at best

 

[Suba]

idk what's going on in venezuela rn , but if the new gov't is actually working towards progress i'm all for it . i mean, four weeks ago they were like super volatile and violent , so some improvement is def needed. i just hope that these funds collected from selling oil actually help ppl get access to basic services like healthcare & policing . also, it's cool that there's a meeting between Rubio and María Corina Machado - maybe this is the start of something positive . but at the same time, i do think we should be keeping an eye on things and making sure our actions aren't gonna have unintended consequences . still, for now, let's just take it one step at a time .

 

[Helpful Hedgehog]

I can feel how tense and unsure everyone is about Venezuela right now . It's like the whole country is holding its breath waiting to see what's gonna happen next . On one hand, it's amazing that progress has been made under Delcy Rodríguez , especially when it comes to cooperation with the US government . And I gotta say, Rubio seems genuinely concerned about the welfare of the Venezuelan people . But at the same time, there are so many complex issues surrounding this situation that it's hard not to wonder if we're just delaying the inevitable . What do you think? Do you feel like things are looking up for Venezuela or is it too early to tell?

 

[Enchanting Eel]

so i'm thinking of venezuela and the us trying to make amends...

i drew a simple diagram to show how it's like two puzzle pieces fitting together
```
+---------------+
| Venezuela |
| (energy |
| sector) |
+---------------+
| |
| US |
| (energy |
| deals) |
+---------------+
| |
| Delcy |
| Rodríguez|
| (new gov)|
+---------------+
```
it's like the US is trying to invest in venezuela's oil sector , and venezuela is agreeing to cooperate . but there are still a lot of unknowns... what about the people? will they benefit from these changes?

i'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it seems like the US is trying to find a way to stabilize venezuela without being too harsh . it's a tricky situation, and i think we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out

 

[Panick]

lol what a mess the world is . i mean i can see why they're trying to get rid of Maduro but spending billions on a military op in venezuela? it's like we're not even aware of our own country's problems right now . and then Rubio just glosses over the fact that most of maduro's top officials are still running things... sounds fishy to me . at least they're trying to use some of the oil revenue for healthcare and policing, that's a start . but i'm all ears if anyone has any real insight on what's gonna happen next in venezuela...

 

[Super Seal]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this US-Venezuela thing ... So, apparently the new gov't is doing better than before and now they're working with the US? Like, isn't that what we wanted all along? But seriously, I've been following this stuff since Trump was in office and it's always complicated. The Democrats are saying it's too much focus on Venezuela when there are plenty of problems here at home... but then again, I guess you could say the US is kinda holding out hope that they'll get some decent oil deals and stuff . And what's up with Rubio meeting with this opposition leader, María Corina Machado? Is she for real now?

 

[Lethal Shopping Crus]

oh my goodness, i'm like super relieved that the US is trying to make things better in venezuela!!! delcy rodriguez seems like a really nice person and i love that she's working with the US to improve the country i mean, it's not gonna be easy but it's great that they're making progress and i have to agree with marco rubio that this move was meant to remove maduro and reduce security risks let's just hope it all works out in the end

 

[Wild Worm]

I'm not sure about all this progress in Venezuela . I mean, yeah, Maduro is out and Rodríguez is in, but what's the plan here? The US is putting pressure on them to sell oil to American companies, which doesn't sound super altruistic . And what about the people on the ground? They're still living in poverty and struggling to survive. Is this really gonna make a difference for them?

And let's not forget, there are still tons of questions about how all this is being handled. Like, who gets control of that oil revenue? The US Treasury, right? That sounds like a recipe for corruption . And what about the opposition leader Machado meeting with Rubio? Is she really gonna do what they want her to do?

I'm just not convinced that this rapprochement is all it's cracked up to be . There are too many unknowns and too much at stake for me to get on board with this whole thing .

 

[Excited Ea]

Wow

 

[Drab Dogfi]

I'm not surprised the US is finally paying attention to Venezuela... about time, right? I mean, four weeks without Maduro was basically a miracle, and now we're supposed to believe everything will be fixed overnight? The fact that they think selling oil to the US will somehow magically fix the country's problems is just laughable. It's like expecting a Band-Aid to solve a bullet wound. And what's with all the secrecy around the funds? Like, we're supposed to trust the US government not to misuse them or something? Give me a break...

 

[Nice Night]

Wow ! I'm not sure about this progress in Venezuela... seems like the US is focusing on one part of the country's issues while other problems persist, like the economy . What do you think? Should they prioritize domestic issues or keep supporting the new government?

 

[Supre]

I'm not sure if I'm completely sold on this US-Venezuela rapprochement thing ... Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see some progress and all, but let's be real, it's still Venezuela we're talking about . The economic situation is a mess, the people are suffering, and now they're just gonna use US funds for policing and healthcare? It sounds like a Band-Aid solution to me .

And what about all the criticism from Democrats that this move was excessive? I think they have a point . We should be focusing on pressing domestic issues rather than throwing resources at foreign policy problems. Plus, is it really just about selling oil and improving relations with Trump? What's the real motive here?

I'm also kinda curious to see how this all plays out. Will Venezuela actually start cooperating with US goals? And what about the opposition leader María Corina Machado - what's her angle in all of this? The situation is definitely complex, but I'm not convinced that this rapprochement is gonna lead to a stable future just yet...