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Senior leaders from the administration arrived on Capitol Hill to defend one of the boldest armed interventions in recent US history: the seizure of a current national leader from his home city.

Details of the Raid Revealed to Senators

The secretaries of state and defense, the attorney general, the CIA director, and the chair of the joint chiefs briefed all 100 U.S. senators on Operation Absolute Resolve, the swift strike 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 first time the full Senate heard particulars of the 3 January attack, which involved elite American troops entering Venezuela before dawn to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Strategy Focused on Petroleum

Officials described a three-phase plan 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 “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.”

Political Divide Emerges in Washington

Apart from petroleum, the operation has split Washington along predictable lines. GOP lawmakers have united in support of the portrayal 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 destabilize the South American nation and set a dangerous precedent for unilateral presidential action.

“What we did is we took out an leader without a proper mandate,” one Republican senator said. “He was never properly voted into office, so there can’t be regime change if he should have never been put in place to begin with.”

Operational Timeline and Court Case

In the pre-dawn operation, special operations forces hit several locations across northern Venezuela, apprehended Maduro and Flores, ferried them to a U.S. Navy ship, airlifted them to a U.S. air base, and then delivered them to authorities in New York. Days later, Maduro appeared before a judge pleading not guilty to charges including “narco-terrorism” conspiracy.

Opposition Doubts and Citizen Concern

One Democratic senator emerged from the closed-door session disbelieving, 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 under threat of force for an undefined period as leverage to micromanage the country.” The senator added that they “heard no comprehensive strategy” for ensuring Venezuela’s future 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 worry the U.S. will become too involved in Venezuela. Overall sentiment echoes the political division 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 troop levels, funding, and what guardrails are in place.”

Unclear Path Ahead and International Condemnation

The question of what happens next in Venezuela remains unclear. Leadership has stated the U.S. would “run” 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 the future plan.”

International condemnation has been swift. Numerous nations have censured the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers called for Maduro’s prompt freedom, while the U.S. defended the action as targeted law enforcement.

Wider Security Concerns

Republican lawmakers are also turning their attention toward Greenland, citing defense concerns.

“China and Russia are conducting activities near 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 seized Venezuela-linked oil tankers, signaling it has no intention to ease pressure.

“Our military is prepared to continue this,” a senior defense official told reporters. “We are an administration of deeds to advance our interests, and that is on clear view.”