On January 3, Panama woke up with the strange sensation of looking in a mirror. During the early hours of the morning while the world tried to process the details about the capture of Nicolas Maduro, as a result of a U.S. military operation the country that is home to the Panama Canal once again delved into a wound that, 36 years later, remains open: the 1989 U.S. invasion.
In the early hours of January 3, the United States armed forces executed an astounding operation. American air, land, and sea units destroyed Venezuela's air defenses, sent in Special Forces that took out President Nicolás Maduro's security team, and brought the dictator and his wife back to the U.S. for trial. But rather than applaud the removal of an illegitimate dictator and his wife, many foreign leaders quickly condemned the snatch-and-grab.
House lawmakers voted 215-215 on H.Con.Res.68 - introduced last month by Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) - which "directs the president to remove US armed forces from Venezuela unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted." Unlike in the Senate, where the vice president casts tie-breaking votes, a deadlock in the House means the legislation does not pass.
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of cities across Colombia to decry Donald Trump's threats to expand his military campaign in South America into their territory, after last weekend's deadly attack on Venezuela. In Cucuta, a city on Colombia's eastern border with Venezuela, several hundred demonstrators marched towards its 19th century cathedral waving the country's yellow, blue and red flag and shouting: Fuera los yanquis! (Out with the Yanks!)
The unprecedented US military attack in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife set alarm bells ringing for Iran's leadership. Tehran is one of the closest allies of Maduro, who remained in power in 2024 after massive election rigging and is not recognized by Germany or the European Union as the legitimate president of Venezuela. After his dramatic capture on Saturday, Maduro appeared in a New York courtroom on Monday on narco-terrorism charges.
The President does not have the unilateral authority to invade foreign countries, oust their governments, and seize their resources. Under the Constitution, the power to go to war lies with the people's branch. It's time for Republicans and Democrats in Congress to reassert our constitutional role in authorizing military force when needed and holding President Trump accountable before the United States is engaged in another war the American people did not choose.
The world is still processing the nighttime raid on Venezuela by U.S. forces on Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and flying them to New York to face narcoterrorism and drug conspiracy charges. President Trump stated the U.S. would run Venezuela until a transition could happen, aiming to access its oil. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves at 303 billion barrels, but because it is mostly extra-heavy crude, it requires specialized refining.
Trump told reporters on Saturday that Maduro was captured after US military strikes on the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, for carrying out a purported campaign of deadly narco-terrorism against the United States. list of 3 itemsend of list He said the US government would run the South American country during a political transition, promising the Venezuelan people that they would become rich, independent and safe.
