"In the future, billions of dollars will be invested in Venezuela to rebuild the agricultural and industrial sectors," Abrams said in a keynote address in the Atlantic Council in Washington.
The US diplomat said international financial institutions were already making plans to lend the country billions more dollars. He added that humanitarian assistance is "ready to flow" at Venezuela's border.
"Humanitarian supplies will start entering immediately and skilled workers will seek to restore electricity, clean water and oil production," Abrams said, as he painted a picture of what the US expects for the country once a new government is imposed.
The US diplomat conceded that efforts to restore the country's economy would "take years of work and considerable investment."
Abrams's speech was met with protests as a group of demonstrators interrupted his remarks and began booing him. The protesters carried signs and chanted slogans denouncing US policy in Venezuela.
READ MORE: US Ready to Declare Venezuela Sponsor of International Terrorism — GRU
Washington actively supports the Venezuelan opposition leader Guaido, who illegally declared himself interim president in January after disputing Maduro’s re-election. The United States immediately endorsed Guaido, called on Maduro to step down and seized billions of dollars’ worth of the country’s oil assets. Several other countries have followed suit, facilitating the takeover of Venezuelan diplomatic missions by Guaido’s representatives.
READ MORE: US Activists Vow to Protect Venezuelan Embassy in DC From Guaido Takeover
Russia, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Turkey and a number of other countries have voiced their support for Maduro as the only legitimate president of Venezuela. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not yet made its final decision on whether to recognise Guaido.
