WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the surprise nighttime operation capturing Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, we’re seeing mixed reaction from congressional members. A defense expert shares why Congress’ questions about the legal justification for this operation are valid.
For the most part, members on both sides of the aisle agree: Venzeula’s President abused his power. Some even call him a dictator. But following this weekend’s surprise military operation by US forces which took Maduro from Venezuela and to the United States for narco-terrorism charges, congressional reaction has been mixed.
Some Republicans, like Congressman Jack Bergman (R- MI), the highest-ranking combat veteran elected in congress who also sits on the House Armed Services Committee, praised the administration for the military operation. He shared in part on social media that Maduro’s capture will result in him “facing accountability for flooding our nation with deadly drugs and for the countless lives lost as a result of his criminal operations.”
Democrats like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D- NY), who sits on the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, wants to know why the administration would move forward with this operation without congressional approval.
“I think the constitution is pretty clear about Congress’ role being the only enumerated, branch enumerated power to declare war,” said Katherine Thompson, CATO Institute Senior Fellow on Defense and Foreign Relations. “So, I think members raising concern about the lack of congressional engagement and the lack of congress taking the first step to authorize these activities is certainly valid.”
We asked Thompson if the administration has legal authority for this operation without congressional approval and what tools Congress has to be more involved in other potential similar operations.
“Depending on how Secretary Rubio, I know he mentioned in the press conference this being dubbed as a ‘law enforcement operation’, provides sufficient legal authority,” said Thompson. “Perhaps he’s going to make a very compelling case in the briefings where more of that is laid out concretely. I don’t think we’ve heard from him or any other administration official kind of the whole theory of the case behind that justification. It could be completely valid but I think that is step number one. He has to provide- the administration as a whole has to provide some more justification of the route they’re going to go but Congress if it becomes a more prolonged effort with US military engagement to quote unquote ‘run Venezuela’ as the President said then Congress does have the authority under the War Powers Act right now to force the removal of US forces from Venezuela if they don’t wish to provide an authorization of military force the President can only engage for 60 days before Congress can offer that resolution and force the withdrawal of forces. So, there are tools at Congress’ disposal to do that. I think it’s a question of what comes out in the coming days and how compelling the justification is from the administration.”
