US politicians react to capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro | US foreign policy
Reactions to the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday were sharply polarized along political lines; administration officials and Republicans celebrated the implementation of the 2020 U.S. drug trafficking indictment against Maduro, and Democrats condemned what they saw as a violation of Venezuela’s right to self-determination.
U.S. attorney Pam Bondi said on X: It was stated that Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were indicted in the southern district of New York on charges such as narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine import conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice in American courts on American soil. On behalf of the entire USA [justice department]“I want to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and I want to give a big thank you to our brave military who carried out an incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international drug traffickers.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio published a statement: “Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is not the legitimate government. Maduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terrorist organization that has taken control of the country. And he is accused of smuggling drugs into the United States.”
Many experts are skeptical of the definition of narco-terrorism when it comes to the Cartel de los Soles. When it comes to cartels, Venezuela has a very different landscape than Mexico.
US vice president JD Vance he said in a statement: “The President has offered multiple ways out, but throughout this process he has been very clear: drug trafficking must be stopped and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the latest to learn that President Trump means what he says. Kudos to our brave special operators who carried out a truly impressive operation.”
But the Democratic response criticized the administration for turning the anti-drug trafficking operation, including strikes against drug boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific, into an act of regime change.
New Jersey senator Andy Kim Published on X Rubio and U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth “looked every Senator in the eye a few weeks ago and said this wasn’t about regime change. I didn’t trust them then, and now we see them openly lying to Congress.”
Kim accused Trump of “denying the constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows that the American people overwhelmingly reject the risks of drawing our nation into another war.”
Kim, a former State Department employee during the Obama administration, said the overnight attack on Venezuela “does not represent strength. It is not sound foreign policy. It puts Americans at risk in Venezuela and the region, and sends a terrible and disturbing signal to other powerful leaders around the world that targeting a head of state is acceptable policy for the U.S. government.”
He also warned that the attacks would “further damage our reputation, already damaged by Trump’s policies around the world, and will only isolate us at a time when we need our friends and allies more than ever.”
California Democrat Ro Khanna indicted Trump said he “betrayed his Maga base by launching a war of choice to bring about regime change in Venezuela. We continue to vote against stupid wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. But our Presidents are bowing to a foreign policy bloc committed to militarism.”
Khanna said the administration has embroiled the United States in “conflicts abroad but ignores the lack of good jobs and high costs for Americans at home.” [Chinese president] Xi Jinping wants to catch up [President] Lai [Ching-te] “Taiwan or Putin’s attempt to capture Zelensky in Ukraine?”
“He called for a movement of the American people to stand up to bloated defense budgets and warmongering. We need statesmen who will heed the advice of Washington and our founders and invest in jobs, health care, child care and education for our people.”
Tiziano Breda, a Latin America analyst at global conflict watchdog ACLED, said the US strikes, which targeted military installations in Caracas as well as sites in La Guaira, Aragua and Miranda, “stand out as the largest US military operation in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.”
“The timing is not a coincidence; it appears to be intended to shorten Maduro’s most recent term,” Breda said via email, warning that what happens next depends on the response of the Venezuelan government and armed forces.
“They have so far avoided direct conflict with US forces, but deployments on the streets indicate efforts to contain the unrest. A smooth transition is unlikely, and the risk of resistance from pro-regime armed groups active in the country, including elements within the military and Colombian rebel networks, remains high.”
