‘It sends a horrible signal’: US politicians react to capture of Nicolás Maduro
The Guardian••nation
Key Points:
- US forces captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, acting on a 2020 US narco-trafficking indictment; Republicans and administration officials praised the operation as enforcement of justice, while Democrats condemned it as an unauthorized regime-change action violating Venezuela’s sovereignty.
- The US attorney general detailed charges against Maduro and his wife, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and possession of destructive devices, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling Maduro as head of a narco-terror organization pushing drugs into the US.
- Democratic leaders criticized the military action for lacking congressional approval and warned it sets a dangerous precedent for international norms, with concerns about escalating global instability and undermining US foreign policy principles.
- Some Republicans expressed skepticism about the focus on drug trafficking, citing
