Trump announces Maduro captured, Congress condemns illegal war and capture

(Patria) - US President Donald Trump has just confirmed news that will echo around the world: The United States has carried out a "major attack" on Venezuela, and the result of the operation is the capture of Nicolas Maduro.

Trump added another crucial detail – Maduro has not only been arrested, but he and his wife (Cilia Flores) have already been taken out of the country. The location to which they have been transferred has not yet been disclosed.

This move is the culmination of years of pressure from Washington on Caracas. As a reminder, Nicolas Maduro was indicted in a US court in 2020 for narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking, and the State Department at the time offered a reward of $15 million for information leading to his arrest.

The military intervention of the United States in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolas Maduro have caused immediate and sharp reactions on Capitol Hill, where the actions of President Donald Trump have been questioned by both Democrats and some Republicans.

The most vocal in his condemnation was the Democratic senator from Arizona, Ruben Gallego, who shortly after the start of the operation posted a short but clear message on platform X: "This war is illegal."

Gallego, who is also a veteran of the US Marines and served in Iraq, drew a parallel with the past, calling the intervention in Venezuela "another unjustified war in my lifetime," clearly alluding to the invasion of Iraq.

Skepticism did not only come from the left. Republican Senator from Utah, Mike Lee, also spoke out on the X network, expressing doubts about the constitutionality of Trump's decision.

"I look forward to learning what, if anything, can constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force," Lee wrote.

These reactions come after months of tensions between the White House and Congress. Democrats and some Republicans have in the past tried to push through measures that would prohibit the Trump administration from attacking Venezuela without explicit congressional approval. However, these proposals were rejected in recent votes in the House of Representatives and the Senate, effectively leaving Trump with a free hand for the action that was carried out this morning.