Khaberni - US President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that his country is not at war with Venezuela, following days of Washington's military intervention in Venezuela to arrest President Nicolas Maduro.
Trump said in an interview with "NBC News" that "Venezuela will not hold new elections in the next thirty days." Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's deputy, sworn in on Monday as interim president of the country.
The American president mentioned that his government might compensate the oil companies that invest in Venezuela with the aim of maintaining and increasing oil production. He also indicated that rebuilding the neglected infrastructure for oil extraction and shipping in Venezuela could be done in less than 18 months, according to the Associated Press.
He added: "I think we can accomplish it in less than that time, but it will require a tremendous amount of money." He continued: "There will be tremendous spending, and these oil companies will spend this money, and then they will be compensated by us or through the revenues."
However, it is still unclear how quickly investments will flow given uncertainties about political stability in Venezuela and the scale of required spending estimated at billions of dollars.
On Monday, Maduro pushed back against charges against him, particularly related to drug trafficking, as he appeared before a court in New York, two days after he and his wife were arrested in the Venezuelan capital.
63-year-old Maduro said in court: "I am innocent, I am not guilty," adding that he was arrested in his home in Caracas and still considers himself the president of Venezuela, according to US media inside the courtroom.
