Mark Kelly says Trump administration wasn’t ‘thinking ahead’ when seizing Venezuelan president

PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona doesn’t believe President Donald Trump’s administration thought through its decision to capture and put on trial Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

“The big question is just what comes next and who winds up in charge in Venezuela. They weren’t thinking ahead here,” Kelly told CBS News’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday.

He spoke with the TV station after Maduro and his wife were seized from their Caracas home Saturday in an overnight military option. Now, the couple is being tried in New York on various crimes.

“Right now we run the risk of Venezuela falling into some form of chaos,” Kelly said. “Who’s going to run the country? Is it Delcy Rodriguez? Is it Maduro’s hand-picked person? Or is it a democratically elected leader?”

While he said that holding Maduro accountable in court is a good thing, he wishes for more clarity.

“We should be on the side of democracy,” Kelly said. “I mean, we’re the good guys here.”

Kelly reacts to U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

Trump recently said his administration will “run” Venezuela, but Kelly wonders what that actually means.

“I think this president needs to do a much better job articulating to the American people what is the plan going forward here, and then explain to the American people, ‘What is this really about?'” he said.

Kelly is especially curious about the motives behind the seizure of the Venezuelan president, who pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. The Trump administration has cited these charges as the justification for removing him from power.

“Is it about law enforcement? Is it about drug smuggling into the United States? Is it about regime change? Or is it about … extracting … oil from a foreign nation?” Kelly asked. “He hasn’t made that clear.”

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