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Rep. María Elvira Salazar: 'We Must Go In' to Venezuela — Predicts a 'Field Day' for U.S. Oil Firms

Rep. María Elvira Salazar said the U.S. "must" and "will" "go in" to Venezuela, arguing that American oil firms would profit greatly from control of the country's petroleum infrastructure. Her remarks came after U.S. strikes in the Caribbean that reportedly killed at least 80 people and amid a U.S. designation linking Nicolás Maduro to the so-called "Cartel de los Soles," a label some analysts dispute. When asked whether Venezuela's military might resist, Salazar said she did not expect them to fight to keep Maduro in power. Her comments raise questions about the legal and geopolitical consequences of unilateral action.

08:08 AM, 11/25/2025Politics

Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) said in a televised interview that the United States "must" and "will" "go in" to Venezuela, arguing that American energy companies would reap substantial economic gains if the U.S. intervened and assumed control of Venezuelan petroleum assets.

Speaking with TV host David Asman, Salazar urged the removal of President Nicolás Maduro. Her comments came after a series of U.S. strikes on vessels in the Caribbean that the Trump administration has said targeted drug traffickers and "narcoterrorists." According to reporting, those strikes have killed at least 80 people; the administration has not publicly produced evidence justifying the attacks, and legal experts have questioned their legality. Observers also note that Venezuela is not a known producer of fentanyl.

This week the administration designated Maduro as a member of a foreign terrorist organization called "Cartel de los Soles," a label that some analysts say may refer to a group that does not exist in the form alleged.

"Oh, I think Maduro is not Fidel Castro... He’s understanding that we’re about to go in," Salazar said, asserting that the pressure on Maduro could force him from power.

Salazar framed potential intervention largely in economic terms, saying Venezuelan oil infrastructure would represent a huge opportunity for U.S. companies:

"Venezuela for the American oil companies will be a field day because there will be more than a trillion dollars in economic activity. American companies can go in and fix all the oil pipe, the whole oil rigs..."

When pressed on what "when we go in" would mean in practice—particularly if elements of Venezuela's military resisted—Salazar said she did not expect the military to fight to keep Maduro in power. Her comments underscore the potential legal, humanitarian and geopolitical risks that would accompany any intervention.

Salazar represents a congressional district in Florida.

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