🔗 Share this article

Top officials from the administration arrived on Capitol Hill to justify one of the most audacious military operations in recent US history: the forcible capture of a current national leader from his own capital.

Operation Particulars Revealed to Senators

Key cabinet members, the nation's top lawyer, the intelligence chief, and the chair of the joint chiefs 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 full Senate heard details of the early January operation, which involved elite American troops swooping into Venezuela before dawn to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

A Plan Centered on Oil

Officials described a threefold process for Venezuela that revolved around oil: first, stabilization of the country; next, creating opportunities for companies to operate in the Venezuelan market; and a final phase described as “one of transition.”

“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 expected partisan divides. Republicans have united in support of the characterization of the raid as a simple arrest operation targeting an indicted drug trafficker. Opposition party members warn of an unlawful military aggression that could destabilize the South American nation and set a dangerous precedent for executive power.

“What we did is we took out an leader without a proper mandate,” 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, special operations forces struck multiple targets across the country's north, captured Maduro and Flores, ferried them to a naval vessel, 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 “narco-terrorism” conspiracy.

Democratic Skepticism and Public Unease

One Democratic senator emerged from the closed-door session 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 detailed plan” for ensuring Venezuela’s stability.

This pushback reflects broader public unease. Polls indicate a majority of Americans believe the operation should have required congressional approval. Separate surveys found roughly three-quarters express concern the U.S. will become overly entangled in Venezuela. Overall sentiment echoes 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 how long this is going to last. We need answers on military presence, funding, and what limits are in place.”

Unclear Path Ahead and Global Criticism

The question of what happens next in Venezuela remains murky. Leadership has stated the U.S. would “manage” the country for an unspecified period.

“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 what comes next.”

International condemnation has been swift. Numerous nations have censured the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers demanded Maduro’s immediate release, while the U.S. justified the move as a precise police action.

Wider Security Concerns

Republican lawmakers are also narrowing their sights 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 significant strategic stake 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.”