US Operation in Venezuela: What We Know So Far
A US operation aimed at ousting President Nicolás Maduro has resulted in a large-scale strike against Venezuela, involving 150 aircraft and military helicopters delivering troops to the capital city of Caracas. According to General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Trump ordered the operation late Friday, with the mission taking about two hours and 20 minutes to complete.
However, the operation was marred by significant resistance from Venezuelan forces, resulting in at least 80 deaths, including military personnel and civilians. Cuban state media reported that 32 Cubans were killed in the US attacks on Saturday, while no Americans were lost in the operation. Two US officials confirmed that about half a dozen soldiers were injured during the mission.
The US government has described the operation as a "law enforcement" action, rather than a military intervention, which would have required greater congressional oversight. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that lawmakers had not been informed of the strike in advance, sparking concerns over the constitutionality of the administration's actions.
President Trump stated that he should be praised for his efforts, saying "They should say, 'Great job.'" but Democrat Rep. Jim Himes called on the administration to immediately brief Congress on its legal justification and plan for the region.
Venezuela's current government is led by interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in during a secret ceremony on Saturday. Rodríguez, a known economic troubleshooter, has expressed willingness to work with the US administration to make Venezuela "great again." However, her tone towards the US appears to have softened slightly after initial denouncements of the country's actions.
Maduro, who is facing drug charges in the US, was captured on Saturday afternoon and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. The US government has stated that Maduro will face "the full wrath of American justice" if convicted of narco-terrorism and other crimes.
A US operation aimed at ousting President Nicolás Maduro has resulted in a large-scale strike against Venezuela, involving 150 aircraft and military helicopters delivering troops to the capital city of Caracas. According to General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Trump ordered the operation late Friday, with the mission taking about two hours and 20 minutes to complete.
However, the operation was marred by significant resistance from Venezuelan forces, resulting in at least 80 deaths, including military personnel and civilians. Cuban state media reported that 32 Cubans were killed in the US attacks on Saturday, while no Americans were lost in the operation. Two US officials confirmed that about half a dozen soldiers were injured during the mission.
The US government has described the operation as a "law enforcement" action, rather than a military intervention, which would have required greater congressional oversight. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that lawmakers had not been informed of the strike in advance, sparking concerns over the constitutionality of the administration's actions.
President Trump stated that he should be praised for his efforts, saying "They should say, 'Great job.'" but Democrat Rep. Jim Himes called on the administration to immediately brief Congress on its legal justification and plan for the region.
Venezuela's current government is led by interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in during a secret ceremony on Saturday. Rodríguez, a known economic troubleshooter, has expressed willingness to work with the US administration to make Venezuela "great again." However, her tone towards the US appears to have softened slightly after initial denouncements of the country's actions.
Maduro, who is facing drug charges in the US, was captured on Saturday afternoon and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. The US government has stated that Maduro will face "the full wrath of American justice" if convicted of narco-terrorism and other crimes.
I dont think it's right that the US invaded another country without tellin anyone first 
It's like they just swooped in and started causin chaos 
And now people are dyin left and right 
80 deaths is crazy!!! I'm not sure what to think about this whole thing but it feels super suspicious to me 
Can we really trust that the US government has our best interests at heart or are they just tryin to pull off some kind of power grab 
. I get what Trump is trying to do - stabilizing the country and all that, but at what cost? Like, 80 deaths? That's crazy 
. I'm all for economic trouble-shooting and making Venezuela great again, but can't we just have a sit-down with them instead of sending in the heavy artillery?
I mean, I get why the Trump admin wanted to take action, but like, 80+ deaths? That's wild 
Can't we just talk things out instead of sending in troops? 
The US saying it's a "law enforcement" action makes me skeptical though 
And what about Maduro's drug charges? Is this all connected? 
It feels like there's more to the story than we're being told... 
And what about these 32 Cuban casualties? I mean, we're talking about people who were just doing their job. What kind of international relations game are we playing here?
. And 80+ deaths? That's just heartbreaking 
.
It sounds like they're trying to spin this as some kinda police operation, but come on, we all know what's really going down here 
. The US government always wants to be in charge and make decisions without anyone else's input, it's just so... American 
.
️. I guess only time will tell what happens next