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Senior leaders from the White House arrived on Capitol Hill to justify one of the most audacious military operations in recent US history: the forcible capture of a current national leader from his home city.

Operation Particulars Disclosed to Senators

Key cabinet members, the attorney general, the CIA director, and the chair of the joint chiefs informed all 100 U.S. senators on Operation Absolute Resolve, the lightning raid that extracted the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, from his home in Caracas and transported him to a New York City jail cell.

This session marked the initial instance the full Senate heard details of the 3 January attack, which involved U.S. special forces entering Venezuela in the pre-dawn hours to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

A Plan Centered on Oil

Officials described a threefold process for Venezuela that revolved around oil: first, stabilization of the country; next, finding access for companies to enter the Venezuelan market; and a final phase described as “a transitional period.”

“We are going to take between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil,” one official stated. “We’re going to sell it in the marketplace at market rates, not at the discounts Venezuela was getting.”

Partisan Split Erupts in Washington

Apart from petroleum, the operation has divided the capital along expected partisan divides. GOP lawmakers have united in support of the portrayal of the raid as a simple arrest operation targeting an accused narcotics kingpin. Opposition party members warn of an illegal act of war that could destabilize the South American nation and establish a troubling new norm for executive power.

“What we did is we took out an leader without a proper mandate,” one Republican senator said. “He was never properly voted into office, so there can’t be regime change if he should have never been put in place to begin with.”

Operational Timeline and Court Case

In the pre-dawn operation, special operations forces struck multiple targets across northern Venezuela, apprehended Maduro and Flores, transported them to a naval vessel, flew them to a U.S. air base, and then turned them over to authorities in New York. Days later, Maduro stood in federal court entering a denial to charges including “narco-terrorism” conspiracy.

Opposition Doubts and Citizen Concern

One Democratic senator emerged from the confidential briefing incredulous, stating the administration is “going to take the oil through military might.”

“This is an insane plan,” the lawmaker said. “They are talking about stealing Venezuelan oil at gunpoint for an unspecified time as a bargaining chip to micromanage the country.” The senator added that they “heard no detailed plan” for ensuring Venezuela’s stability.

This criticism reflects broader public unease. Polls indicate a significant portion of the public believe the operation should have required legislative authorization. Separate surveys found about 75% express concern the U.S. will become overly entangled in Venezuela. Overall public opinion mirrors the political division on Capitol Hill.

“Across America, people are just saying what the hell is going on?” a senior Democratic leader stated. “We need answers as to the duration of this engagement. We need answers on troop levels, financial cost, and what limits are in place.”

Uncertain Future and Global Criticism

The question of what happens next in Venezuela remains murky. Leadership has stated the U.S. would “manage” the country for an unspecified period.

“The reality is the entire Maduro apparatus is still in place,” one analyst noted. “Everyone is in great admiration of the capacity of our military... but there is little clarity about what comes next.”

Global criticism has been swift. Numerous nations have denounced the operation. At the United Nations, representatives from other major powers demanded Maduro’s prompt freedom, while the U.S. defended the action as targeted law enforcement.

Wider Security Concerns

Republican lawmakers are also turning their attention toward Greenland, citing defense concerns.

“China and Russia are operating off the coast Greenland,” one GOP senator said. “In my view, we have a very keen interest in Greenland.”

The administration has maintained warships positioned off Venezuela’s coast and recently seized Venezuela-linked oil tankers, indicating it has no plans to ease pressure.

“Our military is prepared to continue this,” a senior defense official told reporters. “We are an administration of action to promote our national goals, and that is on full display.”