🔗 Share this article

Senior leaders from the administration arrived on Capitol Hill to justify one of the boldest military operations in modern American memory: the forcible capture of a current national leader from his own capital.

Details of the Raid Disclosed to Lawmakers

Key cabinet members, the attorney general, the CIA director, and the chair of the joint chiefs briefed all 100 U.S. senators on the mission, the lightning raid that removed the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, from his Caracas residence and transported him to a detention facility in New York.

This briefing marked the first time the full Senate heard details of the early January operation, which involved U.S. special forces entering Venezuela in the pre-dawn hours to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

A Plan Centered on Oil

Officials described a threefold process for Venezuela that revolved around oil: first, bringing order to the nation; next, finding access for companies to operate in the Venezuelan market; and a final phase described as “a transitional period.”

“We are going to take between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil,” one official stated. “We’re going to sell it in the marketplace at market rates, not at the discounts Venezuela was getting.”

Partisan Split Erupts in Washington

Apart from petroleum, the operation has divided the capital along predictable lines. GOP lawmakers have rallied behind the portrayal of the raid as a straightforward law enforcement action targeting an indicted drug trafficker. Democrats warn of an unlawful military aggression that could plunge Venezuela into chaos and set a dangerous precedent for unilateral presidential action.

“What we did is we took out an illegitimate president,” one Republican senator said. “He was never duly elected, so there can’t be a change in government if he should have never been put in place to begin with.”

Sequence of Events and Legal Proceedings

In the early morning hours, special operations forces struck multiple targets across northern Venezuela, apprehended Maduro and Flores, ferried them to a U.S. Navy ship, flew them to a U.S. air base, and then delivered them to authorities in New York. Days later, Maduro stood in federal court entering a denial to charges including “drug terrorism” conspiracy.

Opposition Doubts and Public Unease

One Democratic senator emerged from the closed-door session disbelieving, stating the administration is “going to take the oil by force.”

“This is an reckless scheme,” the lawmaker said. “They are talking about stealing Venezuelan oil under threat of force for an undefined period as a bargaining chip to control the nation's affairs.” The senator added that they “heard no comprehensive strategy” for ensuring Venezuela’s future stability.

This criticism reflects wider citizen anxiety. Polls indicate a majority of Americans believe the operation ought to have needed congressional approval. Separate surveys found roughly three-quarters express worry the U.S. will become overly entangled in Venezuela. Overall sentiment mirrors the political division on Capitol Hill.

“Across America, people are just saying what is happening?” a senior Democratic leader stated. “We need answers as to the duration of this engagement. We need answers on military presence, funding, and what guardrails are in place.”

Unclear Path Ahead and International Condemnation

The question of the next steps in Venezuela remains murky. Leadership has stated the U.S. would “run” the country for an indeterminate time.

“The reality is the entire previous government structure is still intact,” one analyst noted. “Everyone is in great admiration of the capability of our military... but there is no answer about the future plan.”

Global criticism has been rapid. Numerous nations have denounced the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers called for Maduro’s immediate release, while the U.S. defended the action as targeted law enforcement.

Wider Security Concerns

Republican lawmakers are also narrowing their sights toward Greenland, citing defense concerns.

“China and Russia are conducting activities near Greenland,” one GOP senator said. “In my view, we have a very keen interest in Greenland.”

The administration has maintained warships positioned off Venezuela’s coast and recently seized Venezuela-linked oil tankers, signaling it has no plans to reduce its stance.

“Our military is ready to persist in this,” a senior defense official told reporters. “We are an administration of action to promote our national goals, and that is on full display.”