🔗 Share this article Democrats Decry Venezuela Attack as Republicans Defend the President After Senate Briefing. Top officials from the White House went to Capitol Hill to defend one of the boldest armed interventions in modern American memory: the forcible capture of a sitting head of state from his home city. Details of the Raid Revealed to Lawmakers The secretaries of state and defense, the attorney general, the intelligence chief, and the chair of the joint chiefs informed all 100 U.S. senators on Operation Absolute Resolve, the swift strike that removed the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, from his Caracas residence and transported him to a New York City jail cell. This briefing marked the first time the full Senate heard details of the 3 January attack, which involved U.S. special forces entering Venezuela in the pre-dawn hours to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. A Plan Centered on Oil Officials described a threefold process for Venezuela that was centered on oil: first, bringing order to the nation; next, finding access for companies to enter 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.” Political Divide Erupts in Washington Beyond the oil, the operation has divided the capital along expected partisan divides. Republicans have united in support of the characterization of the raid as a straightforward law enforcement action targeting an indicted drug trafficker. Opposition party members warn of an illegal act of war that could plunge Venezuela into chaos and set a dangerous precedent for executive power. “What we did is we took out an illegitimate president,” one Republican senator said. “He was never duly elected, so there can’t be regime change if he should have never been in power 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 naval vessel, airlifted 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 “narco-terrorism” conspiracy. Democratic Skepticism and Citizen Concern One Democratic senator emerged from the closed-door session disbelieving, stating the administration is “going to take the oil through military might.” “This is an insane plan,” the lawmaker said. “They are talking about stealing Venezuelan oil under threat of force for an unspecified time as leverage to control the nation's affairs.” The senator added that they “heard no comprehensive strategy” for ensuring Venezuela’s stability. This criticism reflects wider citizen anxiety. Polls indicate a significant portion of the public believe the operation ought to have needed congressional approval. Separate surveys found about 75% express concern the U.S. will become overly entangled in Venezuela. Overall sentiment echoes the partisan split on Capitol Hill. “Across America, people are just saying what is happening?” a senior Democratic leader stated. “We need answers as to how long this is going to last. We need answers on military presence, financial cost, and what guardrails are in place.” Unclear Path Ahead and Global Criticism The question of the next steps in Venezuela remains unclear. Leadership has stated the U.S. would “manage” 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.” International condemnation has been rapid. Numerous nations have denounced the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers demanded Maduro’s prompt freedom, while the U.S. justified the move as targeted law enforcement. Broader Strategic Focus Republican lawmakers are also turning their attention toward Greenland, citing national security concerns. “China and Russia are conducting activities near Greenland,” one GOP senator said. “In my view, we have a significant strategic stake in Greenland.” The administration has maintained warships positioned off Venezuela’s coast and recently took control of Venezuela-linked oil tankers, indicating it has no plans to ease pressure. “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 clear view.”