Marco Rubio Critiques Democrats Over Maduro Arrest
On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his disapproval of Kamala Harris and other Democrats regarding their reactions to the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Rubio and others noted that while the Biden administration had previously offered a significant reward for Maduro’s capture, no action had actually been taken to apprehend him. This situation traces back to 2020 when Maduro was indicted on serious charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, though Rubio emphasized that merely offering a bounty did not equate to genuine efforts.
“In the Biden administration, they were given $25 million in compensation,” Rubio remarked during an NBC News interview. “So we have a bounty for his capture, but are you not going to enforce it?” He contrasted this with the previous administration, stating, “President Trump did something about it.”
The recent U.S. Special Forces operation, called Operation Absolute Reserve, successfully captured Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores, just outside Venezuela’s fortified Fort Tiuna military facility. Trump claimed that U.S. forces penetrated the area’s defenses swiftly.
The news of the operation prompted Kamala Harris, who ran for president in 2024, to criticize the action on social media. She stated, “The fact that Mr. Maduro is a brutal and illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was illegal and unwise,” suggesting that past interventions had led to chaos, burdening American families.
Harris implied that the mission was driven not by a desire to oust Maduro but rather by motives related to oil and Trump’s ambitions in the region.
Rubio reiterated on TV shows that the United States is not reliant on Venezuelan oil but seeks to prevent it from falling into the hands of adversaries.
Amidst this, a past post from Biden resurfaced, where he criticized Trump for supposedly admiring Maduro. The post pointed out that Trump had praised dictators while claiming that his administration would support Venezuelan democracy.
Democratic sentiments were reflected in Congress as well. Senator Chris Murphy openly criticized Trump’s military actions in Venezuela, labeling them an “invasion.” He argued that Venezuela does not pose a threat to the U.S. and highlighted his previous statements that recognized Maduro’s illegitimacy.
Murphy’s response included a dismissive laugh when presented with his past op-ed that had criticized Trump’s handling of the situation.
The military operation involved around 150 aircraft and targeted various locations throughout Caracas, including the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base and Port La Guaira. It lasted roughly two and a half hours, during which Trump stated no U.S. soldiers were killed, despite reports indicating that at least 40 Venezuelans may have died, including soldiers and civilians.
Rubio noted that Maduro, 63, and Flores have been extradited to the U.S. and are currently awaiting indictment for federal drug-terrorism charges. Maduro rose to power in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chávez and claimed victory in a contested 2018 election. However, in 2019, the National Assembly declared his presidency illegitimate, leading to international non-recognition during subsequent elections.
Rubio ridicules Kamala Harris for surprising double standard after her comments on Maduro’s arrest
Marco Rubio Critiques Democrats Over Maduro Arrest
On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his disapproval of Kamala Harris and other Democrats regarding their reactions to the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Rubio and others noted that while the Biden administration had previously offered a significant reward for Maduro’s capture, no action had actually been taken to apprehend him. This situation traces back to 2020 when Maduro was indicted on serious charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, though Rubio emphasized that merely offering a bounty did not equate to genuine efforts.
“In the Biden administration, they were given $25 million in compensation,” Rubio remarked during an NBC News interview. “So we have a bounty for his capture, but are you not going to enforce it?” He contrasted this with the previous administration, stating, “President Trump did something about it.”
The recent U.S. Special Forces operation, called Operation Absolute Reserve, successfully captured Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores, just outside Venezuela’s fortified Fort Tiuna military facility. Trump claimed that U.S. forces penetrated the area’s defenses swiftly.
The news of the operation prompted Kamala Harris, who ran for president in 2024, to criticize the action on social media. She stated, “The fact that Mr. Maduro is a brutal and illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was illegal and unwise,” suggesting that past interventions had led to chaos, burdening American families.
Harris implied that the mission was driven not by a desire to oust Maduro but rather by motives related to oil and Trump’s ambitions in the region.
Rubio reiterated on TV shows that the United States is not reliant on Venezuelan oil but seeks to prevent it from falling into the hands of adversaries.
Amidst this, a past post from Biden resurfaced, where he criticized Trump for supposedly admiring Maduro. The post pointed out that Trump had praised dictators while claiming that his administration would support Venezuelan democracy.
Democratic sentiments were reflected in Congress as well. Senator Chris Murphy openly criticized Trump’s military actions in Venezuela, labeling them an “invasion.” He argued that Venezuela does not pose a threat to the U.S. and highlighted his previous statements that recognized Maduro’s illegitimacy.
Murphy’s response included a dismissive laugh when presented with his past op-ed that had criticized Trump’s handling of the situation.
The military operation involved around 150 aircraft and targeted various locations throughout Caracas, including the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base and Port La Guaira. It lasted roughly two and a half hours, during which Trump stated no U.S. soldiers were killed, despite reports indicating that at least 40 Venezuelans may have died, including soldiers and civilians.
Rubio noted that Maduro, 63, and Flores have been extradited to the U.S. and are currently awaiting indictment for federal drug-terrorism charges. Maduro rose to power in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chávez and claimed victory in a contested 2018 election. However, in 2019, the National Assembly declared his presidency illegitimate, leading to international non-recognition during subsequent elections.
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