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Senior leaders from the administration arrived on Capitol Hill to justify one of the boldest military operations in modern American memory: the forcible capture of a sitting head of state from his own capital.

Operation Particulars Disclosed to Senators

The secretaries of state and defense, the nation's top lawyer, the CIA director, and the top military officer briefed all 100 U.S. senators on Operation Absolute Resolve, the lightning raid that extracted the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, from his Caracas residence and brought him to a detention facility in New York.

This briefing marked the initial instance the entire chamber heard particulars of the 3 January attack, which involved U.S. special forces swooping into Venezuela in the pre-dawn hours to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

A Plan Centered on Oil

Officials described a threefold process for Venezuela that revolved around oil: first, bringing order to the nation; 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 predictable lines. GOP lawmakers have united in support of the portrayal of the raid as a straightforward law enforcement action targeting an indicted drug trafficker. Democrats 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 illegitimate president,” 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.”

Sequence of Events and Court Case

In the pre-dawn operation, elite troops hit several locations across northern Venezuela, apprehended Maduro and Flores, transported them to a naval vessel, airlifted them to a U.S. air base, and then delivered them to authorities in New York. Days later, Maduro stood in federal court entering a denial to charges including “drug terrorism” conspiracy.

Opposition Doubts and Citizen Concern

One Democratic senator emerged from the closed-door session disbelieving, stating the administration is “going to take the oil by force.”

“This is an insane plan,” the lawmaker said. “They are talking about taking the nation's petroleum resources under threat of force for an unspecified time as leverage to control the nation's affairs.” The senator added that they “heard no detailed plan” for ensuring Venezuela’s stability.

This pushback reflects broader public unease. Polls indicate a majority of Americans believe the operation should have required congressional approval. Separate surveys found roughly three-quarters express concern the U.S. will become overly entangled in Venezuela. Overall sentiment echoes the partisan split 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 military presence, financial cost, and what limits are in place.”

Unclear Path Ahead and International Condemnation

The question of what happens next in Venezuela remains unclear. Leadership has stated the U.S. would “manage” the country for an indeterminate time.

“The reality is the entire previous government structure is still in place,” one analyst noted. “Everyone is in great admiration of the capability of our military... but there is no answer 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 national security 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 kept a naval fleet positioned off Venezuela’s coast and recently seized Venezuela-linked oil tankers, signaling it has no plans to reduce its stance.

“Our military is prepared to continue this,” a senior defense official told reporters. “We are an administration of deeds to advance our interests, and that is on clear view.”