Kamla Harris BIG claim against Donald Trump over Maduro’s capture, says, ‘This is not about drugs or democracy, but…’
Kamala Harris criticized Donald Trump’s Venezuela operation, saying that the capture of Nicolás Maduro was due to oil interests, not security. Trump warned of regional instability when he announced that the United States controls Venezuelan oil and would take legal action against Maduro in New York.
Former US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday harshly criticized President Donald Trump for the US military operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Harris argued that the intervention was motivated by economic interests rather than drug or regional security concerns.
In a post on X, Harris warned that the operation would not improve America’s security and could destabilize Latin America.
“Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more economic,” he wrote. ‘The fact that Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action is both unlawful and unwise.’
Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.
The fact that Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action is both unlawful and unwise. We’ve seen this movie before. Regime change or wars for oil…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 4, 2026
Warnings About Regime Change
Harris warned that forced regime change has historically led to instability and long-term consequences for U.S. families.
‘We’ve seen this movie before. “Wars for regime change or oil sold as power turn into chaos, and American families pay the price,” he said.
He also accused Trump of misleading the public about the reasons for the intervention.
‘The American people don’t want this and they are tired of being lied to. This has nothing to do with drugs or democracy. This is about oil and Donald Trump’s desire to play regional dictator, Harris wrote.
According to Harris, the operation lacked clear legal authority, a defined exit strategy, and tangible benefits for Americans at home.
Oil at the Center of the Conflict
Hours after the attack, Trump addressed the nation from his home in Mar-a-Lago and announced U.S. plans to seize control of Venezuela’s vast oil resources. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Venezuela has an estimated 303 billion barrels of crude oil; this is almost one-fifth of the world’s proven reserves.
Trump said that American energy companies would be assigned to revive the sector.
‘We’re going to have our largest US oil companies anywhere in the world come in, spend billions of dollars, repair infrastructure, oil infrastructure, that’s badly broken,’ he said.
Increased Domestic Criticism
The operation was also objected to by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who described the capture of Maduro and his wife as an “act of war” and a violation of international law. He warned that the move could affect tens of thousands of Venezuelans living in New York.
“I was informed this morning of the US military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife,” Mamdani wrote, adding that unilateral action against a sovereign nation violated legal norms.
Lawsuit Filed Against Maduro
U.S. officials confirmed that Maduro and Flores were detained in Caracas and flown out of the country during a joint mission that also included intelligence agencies and law enforcement. Both were indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges related to alleged ‘drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies,’ Trump said.
“They will soon face the full force of American justice and be tried on American soil,” Trump said, noting that authorities will decide later whether the trials will be held in New York or Florida.
