Rubio refuses to confirm he will be in charge of Venezuela

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to say the United States is running Venezuela after President Trump suggested US officials would 'run' the country. Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has been taken into US custody and is expected to face a Manhattan court hearing on Monday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to confirm on television that the United States is running Venezuela after President Donald Trump suggested senior US officials would oversee a transition. The comments came after Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was captured and transferred to US custody. Rubio said Washington has leverage, including an oil quarantine, and that US officials will judge Venezuelan leaders by their actions. Venezuela's vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in and publicly criticised the US operation. Known developments: - Nicolás Maduro was captured and is in US custody ahead of an expected Manhattan court hearing on Monday. - President Trump said senior US officials would run Venezuela during a transition; Rubio did not explicitly confirm that on ABC's This Week. - Rubio said the United States holds leverage, including an oil quarantine, and will assess Venezuelan leaders based on their actions rather than statements. - Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president and publicly denounced the US action; US officials said they would engage with existing Venezuelan authorities. Summary: The statements reflect uncertainty about who is recognised as Venezuela's authority and about the extent of US involvement in the transition. Nicolás Maduro remains in US custody with a Manhattan court appearance expected on Monday. Further procedural and diplomatic developments are pending.