🔗 Share this article Democrats Decry Raid on Venezuela as GOP Backs the President Following Senate Briefing. Top officials from the administration arrived on Capitol Hill to defend one of the boldest armed interventions in recent US history: the forcible capture of a sitting head of state from his home city. Details of the Raid Disclosed to Senators Key cabinet members, the attorney general, the CIA director, and the top military officer briefed all 100 U.S. senators on Operation Absolute Resolve, the lightning raid that extracted the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, from his Caracas residence and transported him to a detention facility in New York. This session marked the initial instance the entire chamber heard particulars of the 3 January attack, which involved U.S. special forces entering Venezuela before dawn to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. A Plan Centered on Oil Officials described a threefold process for Venezuela that was centered on oil: first, stabilization of the country; 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.” Political Divide Emerges in Washington Beyond the oil, the operation has divided the capital along expected partisan divides. GOP lawmakers have rallied behind the characterization of the raid as a simple arrest operation targeting an indicted drug trafficker. Opposition party members warn of an illegal act of war that could plunge Venezuela into chaos and establish a troubling new norm 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 Court Case In the early morning hours, elite troops struck multiple targets across northern Venezuela, captured Maduro and Flores, transported 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 “drug terrorism” conspiracy. Opposition Doubts and Citizen Concern One Democratic senator emerged from the confidential briefing incredulous, stating the administration is “going to take the oil by force.” “This is an reckless scheme,” the lawmaker said. “They are talking about taking the nation's petroleum resources at gunpoint 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 future stability. This criticism reflects wider citizen anxiety. Polls indicate a significant portion of the public believe the operation should have required legislative authorization. Separate surveys found about 75% express worry the U.S. will become overly entangled in Venezuela. Overall public opinion mirrors the partisan split on Capitol Hill. “Across America, people are just saying what the hell is going on?” 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 “manage” the country for an indeterminate time. “The reality is the entire Maduro apparatus is still intact,” one analyst noted. “Everyone is in great admiration of the capability of our military... but there is little clarity about the future plan.” International condemnation has been swift. Numerous nations have censured the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers demanded Maduro’s prompt freedom, while the U.S. justified the move as a precise police action. Wider Security Concerns Republican lawmakers are also turning their attention toward Greenland, citing national security concerns. “China and Russia are operating off the coast Greenland,” one GOP senator said. “In my view, we have a very keen interest in Greenland.” The administration has kept a naval fleet positioned off Venezuela’s coast and recently took control of Venezuela-linked oil tankers, signaling it has no intention to reduce its stance. “Our military is prepared to continue this,” a senior defense official told reporters. “We are an administration of deeds to promote our national goals, and that is on clear view.”