Harris Hits Trump on Maduro Capture
Former US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday criticized US President Donald Trump regarding the capture of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, asserting that the operation was motivated by oil interests rather than genuine concerns over drugs. In a post on X, Harris stated that Trump’s actions in Venezuela would not enhance the safety of the United States and cautioned that enforced regime change could destabilize the region, endangering American lives. Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not enhance America’s safety, strength, or affordability. While it is true that Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator, this does not alter the reality that this action was both unlawful and unwise. This is a familiar narrative. “Wars for regime change or oil that are sold as strength but turn into chaos, and American families pay the price,” she wrote.
Harris stated that the American public did not endorse such military actions and charged Trump with misleading the populace. The American people are expressing their discontent, and they are weary of deception. This discussion transcends the realms of drugs and democracy. The focus is on oil and Donald Trump’s ambition to assume the role of a regional strongman. “If he cared about either, he wouldn’t pardon a convicted drug trafficker or sideline Venezuela’s legitimate opposition while pursuing deals with Maduro’s cronies,” she added. Harris, who contested the recent presidential election against Trump, also cautioned that the operation could jeopardize US troops and was devoid of any legal foundation or exit strategy. The President is endangering troops, allocating billions, creating instability in a region, and providing no legal justification, no exit strategy, and no advantages domestically. “America needs leadership whose priorities are lowering costs for working families, enforcing the rule of law, strengthening alliances, and, most importantly, putting the American people first,” she wrote.
Soon after the US strike on Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday, President Donald Trump held a conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence, where he announced that the United States would take control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. According to the US Energy Information Administration, Venezuela possesses approximately 303 billion barrels of crude oil, which represents nearly one-fifth of the world’s proven oil reserves. It is reported, “these reserves are expected to play a major role in shaping the country’s future.” Trump stated that significant American oil companies would be dispatched to Venezuela to revitalize the sector.”We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure,” Trump said.
Earlier in the day, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his disapproval of the capture of Maduro and his wife, labeling it a “act of war” and a breach of international law. In a post on X, Mamdani stated, “I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City. Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.” He cautioned that the action could lead to significant repercussions for tens of thousands of Venezuelans residing in New York City. US officials report that Former Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were apprehended in Caracas and subsequently transported out of the country in a coordinated effort involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement. President Trump stated that the couple has been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges of alleged “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies” and will face trial in the United States. Trump stated that Maduro and his wife “will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil” for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking. He stated that they were being transported to New York, with authorities later determining whether the trial would take place in New York or Florida.
