The U.S. military’s surprise intervention in Venezuela may have achieved its immediate objective, but it has ignited sharp criticism from Democratic leaders — particularly LGBTQ voices — who warn that the operation sidestepped constitutional safeguards and risks entangling America in another open-ended foreign occupation.
In the early hours of Jan. 3, U.S. special forces carried out on the Caracas compound of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, capturing Maduro and his wife and transporting them to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. The operation, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, reportedly resulted in no American casualties.
The strike immediately raised alarms among Democrats, who support holding authoritarian leaders accountable — but not at the expense of the democratic process at home.
Christopher Gallant, a former Army National Guard helicopter pilot now running for Congress in New York, said the raid crossed a critical line.
“Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator who has devastated Venezuela and forced millions to flee,” Gallant said. “But removing a dictator does not justify launching military action without the consent of Congress or the American people.”
The administration defended its secrecy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the mission was too sensitive to notify lawmakers in advance, describing the operation as a Justice Department action, supported by the Department of War.
That explanation has done little to calm critics — especially given President Donald Trump’s past promises to avoid new foreign entanglements.
“This is the opposite of endless wars,” Gallant said. “It’s unilateral force dressed up as law enforcement.”
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a Navy veteran and prominent Democratic leader, framed the raid as part of a familiar political pattern.
“An unpopular president struggling at home turns regime change abroad,” Buttigieg said. “It’s an old and obvious distraction — especially when economic anxiety and democratic norms are under strain.”
Concerns intensified after Trump declared that the United States would “run” Venezuela during a transitional period — language that alarmed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who fear a de facto occupation shaped as much by oil interests as by democratic reforms.
“The American people don’t want to run another country while our own leaders fail to improve life here at home,” Buttigieg said.
In the Miami suburb of Doral, hundreds of Venezuelan expatriates celebrated the ouster of Maduro, whose regime had a documented record of repression. Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez said many Democrats rushed to judgment without recognizing the human element.
“As a Democrat, I very much believe in the importance of the constitutional process and accountability, but I also believe we missed an opportunity to meet the Venezuelan community at a moment that was, for them, filled with relief, hope and even joy,” Fernandez said.
