Sanders attacks Trump’s Maduro capture despite years of going soft on socialist strongmen
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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., railed against President Donald Trump’s strikes in Venezuela over the weekend, but his criticism follows a history of taking a softer approach toward socialist dictators like Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Sanders, like many of his colleagues in the Senate Democratic caucus, argued that Trump’s decision to strike the Venezuelan capital of Caracas without congressional approval broke the law and was another example of the administration overstepping Congress’ war powers.
Sanders said in his statement: “Donald Trump has once again shown his disrespect for the Constitution and the rule of law.” he said. “The President of the United States has NO right to unilaterally engage this country in war, even against a corrupt and brutal dictator like Maduro.”
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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has railed against the Trump administration’s attacks in Caracas and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but he has a history of praising communist and socialist dictators. (Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)
However, the fact that the legislature calls Maduro a dictator is a change. In previous years, Sanders had refused to attach that label to himself.
While on the presidential campaign trail in 2019, Sanders chose not to call Maduro a dictator, instead saying he would support the effort to ensure free and fair elections in the country.
“It’s fair to say that the last election was undemocratic, but Democratic operations are still ongoing in this country,” Sanders said in his town hall speech at the time. “The point is that what I’m calling for now is a fair election under international control.”
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Nicolás Maduro is seen in handcuffs after landing on a helipad in Manhattan; He boards an armored vehicle, escorted by heavily armed federal agents, on his way to the federal courthouse in Manhattan in New York City on January 5, 2026. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images)
Maduro, who was first elected in 2013, is accused of human rights violations and distributing illegal drugs to the United States by working with cartels and narcotics gangs in South America and Mexico.
But Sanders has frequently accused Trump of engaging in authoritarianism.
“Under this administration, authoritarianism has taken root in our country,” Sanders said at X in 2020. “As long as I am here, I will work with progressives, moderates and, yes, conservatives to protect this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.”
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Fidel Castro observes the May Day parade at Revolution Square in Havana, Cuba, on May 1, 1998. (Sven Creutzmann/Mambo Photography/Getty Images)
The lawmaker also supports policies under former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Sanders was the target of criticism during his last presidential race after a speech he made in the 1980s in which he praised the socialist policies implemented by Castro and his regime.
Sanders was under pressure to speak at another town hall event on the campaign trail; Sanders stated that he constantly criticizes authoritarian regimes around the world.
Still, he claimed, “There were a lot of illiterate people in Cuba at that time. He founded the literacy brigade.”
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“You know, I think teaching people to read and write is a good thing,” Sanders said.
Fox News Digital did not immediately hear from Sanders’ office for comment.
