\u201cWe\u2019re going to rebuild the oil, and the oil infrastructure, we\u2019ll be in charge of it,\u201d Trump told Fox News.<\/b>
\nPresident Donald Trump on Thursday told Fox News that Venezuela is not ready for a new election as his administration continued to assert control over the country after the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.
Trump said in an interview with Sean Hannity that the U.S. must \u201crebuild\u201d Venezuela before the country can hold free and fair elections.
\u201cThey couldn\u2019t have an election,\u201d Trump said. \u201cThe country\u2019s become Third World, and they wouldn\u2019t know how to have an election right now.\u201d
U.S. officials on Friday confirmed the seizure of a fifth oil tanker linked to Venezuela. Trump said he would meet with top oil executives Friday to plan rebuilding efforts in Venezuela \u2014 mentioning that he expects oil companies to invest at least $100 billion.
\u201cWe\u2019re going to rebuild the oil, and the oil infrastructure, we\u2019ll be in charge of it,\u201d Trump told Hannity. \u201cIt\u2019s going to do great, make a lot of money, and we\u2019re going to take it from there, but we\u2019re going to rebuild the country, and ultimately, we\u2019re going to have elections.\u201d
Trump also said he will meet Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner Mari\u0301a Corina Machado after casting doubt that she had the support necessary to lead the country.
Machado offered to give her prize to Trump and told Fox News on Monday: \u201cIn free and fair elections, we will win with over 90 percent of the votes. I have no doubt about it.\u201d
Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez has served as the country\u2019s acting president since the operation to capture Maduro.<\/p>\n