The daring raid by U.S. forces that seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has sparked heated debates over legality and presidential power, with top Democrats calling it an unprecedented act that tramples the Constitution.
President Donald Trump’s administration defended the operation as a law enforcement mission, stating that American special forces carried out the arrest of Maduro and his wife in Caracas early Saturday morning. The couple was flown to New York to face federal “narcoterrorism” charges, accused of trafficking tons of cocaine into the United States.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the operation on Sunday, describing it as an illegal incursion. “They went inside Venezuela, bombed civilian as well as military sites. It’s a violation of the law to do this without Congressional authorization,” he said on ABC News’ This Week.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered these claims, framing the mission as a legitimate law enforcement effort. “At its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice, and the Department of War supported the Department of Justice in that job,” Rubio said. He emphasized that congressional approval was unnecessary, arguing, “It wasn’t an invasion. We didn’t occupy a country. This was an arrest operation.” FBI agents reportedly read Maduro his rights as he was taken into custody.
Democrats call it an ‘act of war’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries challenged the raid’s legality on NBC’s Meet the Press, calling it “an act of war” rather than a simple counter-narcotics mission. “This was a military action, and only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war or authorize such acts,” he said.
Law experts echoed these concerns. Barbara McQuade, former federal prosecutor and University of Michigan law professor, described the operation as violating international law. “Normally, an international arrest is done through an extradition request. Here, we see a military rendition that reportedly killed 40 people to seize Nicolás Maduro. This violates the UN Charter,” she said.
A historical parallel
Supporters of the operation, including former Attorney General Bill Barr, compared the situation to Panama in 1989, when General Manuel Noriega was forcibly removed and brought to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Barr expressed confidence Maduro would be convicted and said previous legal debates mirror those surrounding Noriega’s case.
Meanwhile, Jack Goldsmith, former Department of Justice official, criticized Congress for failing to provide oversight. “Congress has given the president a gargantuan global military force with few constraints and is AWOL in overseeing what the president does with it. Courts won’t get involved, and no country could stop the U.S. action in Venezuela,” Goldsmith wrote.
