US Has 3-Part Plan for Post-Maduro Venezuela: Rubio

The transition plan will entail U.S. access to Venezuelan oil and make room for opposition figures in civil society planning.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) arrives to a closed door briefing with senators on the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 7, 2026. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump’s plan for the United States to administer Venezuela following Nicolás Maduro’s ouster will play out in three primary phases, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill on Jan. 7, Rubio described the initial step as a stabilization effort followed by a second phase focused on recovery. The plan will ultimately conclude with a transition of power, he said.