DENVER — Colorado leaders from both sides of the aisle are reacting to US strikes on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Leaders issued sharply different reactions to the U.S. operation.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis praised Maduro's removal.
He released the following statement:
Today is a moment to celebrate the ouster of the brutal socialist dictator of Venezuela, who has cruelly impoverished this once-prosperous country that sits on greater oil wealth than Saudi Arabia. I join our fellow Coloradans who have suffered so severely from this thug in calling for a democratic Venezuela where freedom and opportunity can again flourish. This is a time of great uncertainty, promise, and peril across dangerous political terrain as the regime’s Vice President and Minister of Interior seek to retain power with violence and repression. In July 2024, the people of Venezuela overwhelmingly elected as their president Unity Democratic Platform candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who succeeded the party’s candidate María Corina Machado after she was unlawfully disqualified from running. Now is the time for President-elect González to receive the support he deserves from the U.S. in cooperation with the international community and the people of Venezuela to assume his rightful place and powers as president. Venezuelans deserve to determine their own future and select their own government. Today, I stand with the Venezuelan people in Colorado and in Venezuela.
Following the President’s remarks today and the actions taken by the United States overnight, it is not at all clear what the plan actually is, or even who is in charge. I am further troubled by the lack of Congressional oversight and engagement up to this point. It is crucial that the United States present a clear plan for what a transition to genuine democracy and self-rule entails, and involve Congress in planning next steps to help ensure stability and freedom for the long oppressed people of Venezuela. We cannot have a failed foreign policy misadventure; the Venezuelan people and region deserve better.
We respect everyone’s right to peaceful demonstration including celebrating the fall of Maduro and ask all to do so without violence.
Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet said the US operation violates international norms.
He released the following statement:
As I have long said, Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate, brutal leader who lost, and then stole, the 2024 elections. Nevertheless, as a member of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, I have seen no evidence justifying the administration acting alone without Congressional authorization. I certainly have seen no justification for putting U.S. troops on the ground to ‘run the country’ or rebuild and exploit Venezuela’s oil infrastructure for our own economic purposes.
“The President’s top advisors describe today’s actions as a ‘law enforcement exercise.’ But today’s unprecedented use of military force and the President’s suggestion for the United States to run Venezuela are dangerously far beyond that. President Trump’s continued abandonment of basic principles of international law and order eventually will reverberate against America’s national interests; the only question is when.
“The Trump administration’s Venezuelan misadventure sets a precedent for authoritarian regimes around the world to intervene militarily under the guise of going after leaders accused of criminal conduct or simply to access valuable natural resources or critical technologies under their control.
“Last November, I voted for a bipartisan Senate resolution to prevent President Trump from pursuing an unauthorized war with Venezuela, a resolution most Republicans blocked. And, just last month, I voted against the National Defense Authorization Act because, as I said at the time, I “could not, in good conscience, rubber-stamp President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s lawless Department of Defense.”
“After pardoning Honduras’s former President Juan Orlando Hernández for drug-related crimes, and having repeatedly invoked oil as a justification for strikes on Venezuela, the administration’s claims that the Department of Defense was merely providing support to serve a federal indictment against Maduro are just one more demonstration of this White House's incoherence and hypocrisy.
“The Venezuelan people deserve to thrive under a democratically-elected government. But the Trump administration’s trampling of our Constitution and unauthorized military action serve only to weaken U.S. democracy and make the world more dangerous. Congress must reassert its role in these decisions to prevent the President from his continued irresponsible conduct.”
Democratic U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper called the operation an unauthorized war.
He released the following statement:
In disregard for the Constitution, President Trump launched a war in Venezuela without congressional authorization. A president pursuing regime change abroad creates an unnecessary conflict and puts American service members directly in harm’s way. American families are already struggling. This escalation shows that the President is willing to go great lengths to distract from the serious problems not being addressed here at home.
Republican Congressman Jeff Crank supported the operation.
He released the following statement:
Maduro is being brought to justice to answer for the terrorism and drug crimes he has committed against the United States.
@POTUS is doing a tremendous job at ensuring America is safer from foreign drug lords who wish to inflict harm on our citizens.
Democratic Congressman Joe Neguse called the action unconstitutional.
He released the following statement:
Blatantly unconstitutional. There is no dispute that Maduro is a brutal dictator — but only Congress has the power to declare war. If Congress does not begin reasserting itself — immediately — our constitutional order will be permanently transformed.
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