1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the January 3, 2026 military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his transport to New York to face criminal charges in U.S. courts. This action sets a dangerous precedent that undermines both international law and the principles of sovereignty that have governed relations between nations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Maduro will stand trial in U.S. courts. This position creates a troubling double standard: the administration now asserts that U.S. courts have jurisdiction to prosecute foreign heads of state for alleged crimes, while simultaneously maintaining that American presidents are immune from criminal accountability. This inconsistency is not merely hypocritical but threatens the legal foundations of international order. The operation itself, which involved a surprise incursion into Caracas marked by overnight explosions, represents the most aggressive U.S. action to achieve regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Legal experts have noted this goes beyond even the most controversial historical examples of American intervention in Panama and elsewhere. President Trump has announced plans for the United States to "run" Venezuela temporarily and exploit its oil reserves, yet there are no clear plans for who will actually govern or how this occupation complies with international law. If the United States can unilaterally seize foreign leaders and subject them to our courts while claiming our own leaders are above the law, we abandon any moral authority to advocate for justice globally. This operation was justified as necessary to stem drug flows, but the broader implications for American credibility and international stability are profound. I urge you to demand a full accounting of the legal basis for this operation, oppose any appropriations that fund ongoing military occupation of Venezuela, and support measures that restore respect for international law and equal application of justice.