Venezuela’s acting president says the country has “never” considered becoming the 51st U.S. state, responding to remarks attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump. The statements come after the U.S. captured deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, an event that has been described by U.S. officials and echoed in reporting as part of efforts involving Venezuela’s oil resources.
Vanguard and The Japan Times both report the acting president’s denial, disputing claims that Venezuela’s government or leadership had contemplated statehood as a consequence of U.S. actions. The articles also place the denial in context of Trump’s public comments after the reported capture of Maduro, including boasts about U.S. control over Venezuela, particularly its oil-rich status in the Caribbean.
The sources do not provide additional details on any formal Venezuelan or U.S. discussions about statehood, but they agree that the acting president rejects the premise that Venezuela ever considered joining the United States in that way.
