U.S. tells Venezuela to expel official advisers from China, Russia, Cuba and Iran

The United States is pressing Venezuela’s interim government to expel official advisers from China, Russia, Cuba and Iran, American officials said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio listed the Trump administration’s demands to Venezuela’s new leader, Delcy Rodríguez, in a classified meeting on Monday with senior congressional leaders.

U.S. officials, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said spies and military personnel from Cuba, Russia, China and Iran would be forced out while some diplomats would be permitted to stay. Army Delta Force commandos engaged in an intense firefight on Saturday with the Cuban security forces that had protected the ousted leader, Nicolás Maduro, outside his compound in Caracas; Mr.

Maduro used the Cuban forces as bodyguards because he perceived them as more trustworthy. Mr. Rubio also told Ms. Rodríguez that he wanted Venezuela to reopen the oil trade with the United States, a demand President Trump has made publicly. The officials said Venezuela would most likely have to relax or end its nationalization of the oil industry to entice American companies back and it may also have to pay some form of restitution.

Minutes after Army Delta Force soldiers captured Mr. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them to an American warship, Mr. Rubio called Ms. Rodríguez, two U.S. officials said; it is not clear if he laid out the administration’s demands in that first call or in later talks.

Key Topics

World, Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, Marco Rubio, China, Russia