In a dramatic late-night military intervention, United States forces have captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The operation, confirmed by US officials, has sent shockwaves through international diplomacy and raised immediate questions about its legal justification.
Constitutional Justification for the Raid
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah provided crucial details after a conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to Lee, Rubio asserted that the sudden military action in Venezuela falls squarely within President Donald Trump's inherent authority under Article II of the US Constitution. The stated purpose was to protect American personnel from what was described as an 'actual or imminent attack.'
"Just got off the phone with Secretary Rubio," Lee informed. "He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant." Lee added that Rubio anticipates no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody.
Rubio's Stance on Maduro's Legitimacy
As the news broke, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated a firm position he has held for some time. He reshared an older post stating that Nicolas Maduro is not the legitimate president of Venezuela. In the post, Rubio labeled Maduro as the head of the 'Cartel de Los Soles,' calling it a narco-terrorist organization that has effectively taken over a country.
"Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government," Rubio's statement read. He further emphasized that Maduro is under US indictment for allegedly pushing drugs into the United States. This perspective frames the US action not as an attack on a sovereign government, but as a law enforcement operation against a criminal entity.
Details of the Operation and Charges
The US conducted a large-scale nighttime military operation specifically targeting the capture of Maduro and his spouse. Following the operation, both were flown to the United States, where Maduro is now set to face trial on longstanding criminal charges. The US has charged Maduro with narco-terrorism, among other crimes.
President Donald Trump praised the execution of the mission, telling the New York Times, "A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people. It was a brilliant operation, actually." This action marks a significant escalation in the US's approach to Venezuela, moving from sanctions and diplomatic pressure to direct military intervention aimed at regime change.
The operation concludes a period where Maduro had expressed a willingness to discuss an agreement with the US to prevent drug trafficking, but evidently, diplomatic avenues were bypassed in favor of this decisive strike. The global community now watches closely for Venezuela's next steps and the international legal ramifications of this unprecedented move.
