US President Donald Trump said the United States would “run Venezuela” until a new government is installed after the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a military operation on Saturday morning.

Addressing a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said, “No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved.”

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump told reporters.

“We can’t take a chance at somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind.”

Trump said Venezuelan forces were prepared but did not get the opportunity to respond.

“Venezuela’s military was ready, but we did not give them time to recover,” he said, adding that no US soldiers were injured in the operation.

“If something had happened, we were ready for a second strike, but the first attack was so effective that there was no need.”

Claiming the operation had neutralised threats, Trump said, “Maduro will no longer be a danger to any American,” and warned Venezuela’s political and military leadership.

“What happened to Maduro could also happen to them,” he said.

“Maduro is gone. Venezuela is now a safe country.”

Trump accused Nicolas Maduro of leading criminal networks.

“Nicolas was heading a cartel that sent drugs to the United States,” he said, alleging that Maduro and his wife were now in New York.

He also claimed Maduro led a “bloodthirsty gang” and accused Venezuelan security forces of severe human rights abuses, saying,

“These people they call police cut off people’s fingers.”

Outlining US objectives, Trump said Washington wanted stability and prosperity for Venezuela.

“We want to see Venezuela thriving and prosperous,” he said. “Everyone wants a partnership between Venezuela and the United States.”

He added that Venezuelans currently in the US would return home.

“The people who are in America will go back to their homes,” he said.

“We will make sure this never happens again.”

Trump also announced plans for US energy companies to operate in Venezuela.

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” he said, describing Venezuela’s oil sector as “a total bust” for years.

He praised domestic security measures in Washington, saying, “The National Guards made Washington a safe city. There is no crime here now,” and reiterated his broader security stance: “I will not allow any terrorist to take action against the United States.”

It is unclear how Trump plans to oversee Venezuela.

Despite an operation that knocked out electricity in part of Caracas and captured Maduro, U.S. forces have no control over the country itself, and Maduro’s government appears to still be in charge.

A U.S. occupation “won’t cost us a penny” because the U.S. would be reimbursed from the “money coming out of the ground,” Trump said, referring to Venezuela’s oil reserves.

Trump said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in touch with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez — Maduro’s presumptive successor.

“‘We’ll do whatever you need,’” Trump quoted Rodriguez as saying. “She really doesn’t have a choice.”

Venezuelan officials condemned Saturday’s intervention.

“In the unity of the people we will find the strength to resist and to triumph,” Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said in a video message.