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Senior leaders from the White House arrived on Capitol Hill to defend one of the boldest military operations in recent US history: the forcible capture of a current national leader from his own capital.

Details of the Raid Disclosed to Senators

The secretaries of state and defense, the nation's top lawyer, the intelligence chief, and the top military officer informed all 100 U.S. senators on the mission, 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 initial instance the entire chamber heard details of the early January operation, which involved U.S. special forces entering Venezuela in the pre-dawn hours to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

A Plan Centered on Oil

Officials described a three-phase plan for Venezuela that was centered on oil: first, stabilization of the country; next, finding access for companies to operate in the Venezuelan market; and a final phase described as “a transitional period.”

“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 Erupts in Washington

Apart from petroleum, the operation has split Washington along expected partisan divides. Republicans have united in support of the portrayal of the raid as a simple arrest operation targeting an indicted drug trafficker. Democrats warn of an unlawful military aggression that could plunge Venezuela into chaos and set a dangerous precedent for unilateral presidential action.

“What we did is we took out an illegitimate president,” 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 Legal Proceedings

In the pre-dawn operation, special operations forces hit several locations across northern Venezuela, captured Maduro and Flores, transported them to a U.S. Navy ship, flew them to a stateside base, and then turned them over to authorities in New York. Days later, Maduro stood in federal court entering a denial 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 stealing Venezuelan oil under threat of force for an unspecified time as leverage to control the nation's affairs.” The senator added that they “heard no comprehensive strategy” for ensuring Venezuela’s stability.

This criticism reflects broader public unease. Polls indicate a significant portion of the public believe the operation should have required congressional approval. Separate surveys found roughly three-quarters express worry the U.S. will become overly entangled in Venezuela. Overall public opinion mirrors the partisan split 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 troop levels, funding, and what limits are in place.”

Unclear Path Ahead and International Condemnation

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 Maduro apparatus is still in place,” one analyst noted. “Everyone is in great admiration of the capability of our military... but there is little clarity about what comes next.”

Global criticism has been rapid. Numerous nations have censured the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers demanded Maduro’s immediate release, while the U.S. defended the action as a precise police action.

Broader Strategic Focus

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

“China and Russia are operating off the coast 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 plans 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 full display.”