New Concerns Arise Over Maduro Operation Following Confidential Briefing

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Senior Democrats spoke to the media after the classified briefing, accusing US President Donald Trump and his senior officials of lying about the reasoning for the military action and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the briefing posed more questions than it had answered, including whether the White House would avoid taking similar actions against other countries in the future.

“I did not receive any assurances that we would not try to do the same thing in other countries,” Schumer said after the briefing, CNN reported.

“And in conclusion, when the United States engages in this kind of regime change and so-called nation-building, it always ends up hurting the United States.

Brian Mast, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has refuted claims that the Trump administration is planning any nation-building efforts in Venezuela. “They are not the protracted war administration,” Mast stated, addressing media inquiries on how the administration plans to avoid another prolonged conflict similar to the 20-year war in Afghanistan. His remarks aimed to reassure the American public amid rising concerns.

Senior Republicans have defended Trump’s decisions and the seizure of Maduro, who pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism in New York federal court, insisting Trump didn’t plan to occupy or rule Venezuela.

Republican House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson said: “We do not have armed forces in Venezuela and we are not occupying that country.”

Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled Senate is gearing up for a significant vote this week. Senators will decide on whether to impose restrictions on further military action in Venezuela without explicit congressional approval. This decision holds critical implications for the administration’s foreign policy and military strategy.

As discussions continue, the sentiment shared by many is one of cautious optimism. Mast emphasized his confidence in the administration’s approach following a recent briefing, saying, “And I left the briefing feeling that it would.”

Trump’s pick of Rodríguez questioned

Democratic senator Jeff Merkley criticised Trump’s support for Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela’s interim president.

“What it looks like is he wants to keep the dictatorship in the palace, just with the vice president becoming head of government, rather than Maduro,” Merkley said, according to a CNN report.

“He just wants a dictator that will say ‘Yes sir’ when the United States says ‘Do this or do that’ … I think that’s a big problem for us.”

The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to vote this week on whether to block further military action against Venezuela without congressional approval.

The Republicans insisted the operation over the weekend didn’t require congressional approval due to its short period and its role in law enforcement.

But Democrats and some Republicans have accused Trump of seeking to sidestep the constitution’s requirement that Congress has to approve any military action needed to defend the US, unless the action is brief and limited.

Republican senate majority leader John Thune said there would be more details around how long the US would remain in control of Venezuela in the coming days.

— With additional reporting from Reuters