Washington DC, Sept. 2 -- US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) said Venezuela is "not ready yet" to hold elections, noting that the country needed more time following the end of what he described as a "powerful, ruthless dictatorship" under then-President Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro earlier this year was captured and detained by US forces during a pre-dawn operation in Venezuela along with his wife, Cilia Flores.

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump, when asked what was preventing him from asking Venezuela to set a firm date for elections, said, "I just don't think they're ready yet. You know it's very new. We took them out of a dictatorship, and we're getting along great with the government."

The US President also...