1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I am writing to express grave concern about recent United States military actions against Venezuela and to urge you to fulfill your constitutional duty to check executive overreach. The unilateral use of force against Venezuela without congressional authorization represents a dangerous violation of both our Constitution and international law. The International Commission of Jurists has condemned these actions as an unlawful use of force and a clear violation of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which requires all UN members to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, has been characterized as a violation of international law. Statements from the United States Government suggesting an intention to "run" Venezuela or determine its political future directly contradict the principle of self-determination. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution grants Congress alone the power to declare war. By bypassing this requirement, the executive branch has undermined the separation of powers that protects our democracy from authoritarian impulses. This is not the first concerning incident. The ICJ has documented recent attacks on boats suspected of drug smuggling that resulted in scores of deaths, conduct that appears to constitute extrajudicial killings in violation of international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. ICJ Secretary General Santiago Canton warns that these developments may undermine victims' prospects for justice for crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela, stating that accountability "must not be displaced, delayed or foreclosed by proceedings that do not address those crimes." I urge you to immediately assert congressional authority over matters of war and peace. Introduce or support resolutions that condemn unauthorized military action, demand full briefings on these operations, and reassert that no further military force may be used without explicit congressional approval. Our constitutional system and international stability depend on Congress doing its job.