The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by US forces in Caracas on a Saturday morning in 2026, following a large-scale strike on the country, triggered widespread international and domestic controversy. US President Donald Trump announced the operation, stating that Maduro and Flores had been indicted in New York on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and weapons offenses. This action was framed by the Trump administration as a necessary measure to stop drug trafficking into the US and to reclaim stolen Venezuelan oil.

Administration officials and Republicans largely celebrated the operation, with US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirming the indictments and Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserting that Maduro was not the legitimate president but rather the head of a narco-terror organization, the Cartel de Los Soles. Vice President JD Vance lauded the “impressive operation” and reiterated the demand for an end to drug trafficking and the return of oil to the United States. General Dan Caine, chair of the joint chiefs of staff, described the mission as “Operation Absolute Resolve,” involving 150 aircraft and special forces like Delta Force and the Night Stalkers, who tracked Maduro to a highly guarded fortress. Trump himself expressed thrill at the military success, calling it a “brilliant operation” and declaring that in Maduro’s absence, the US would “essentially run” Venezuela, with Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth working with the Venezuelan people.

However, the legality and motivations behind the US military intervention were immediately and sharply criticized, particularly by Democrats and international law experts. US Senator Mark Warner highlighted the constitutional requirement for congressional approval for military force, warning that using military action for regime change could collapse international rules and embolden authoritarian regimes like China regarding Taiwan or Russia concerning Ukraine. New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez denounced the strikes as a