Congress Must Confront Unlawful Intervention In Venezuela

Confront Unapproved Military Intervention in Venezuela I write to protest recent U.S. military action in Venezuela, including strikes carried out by U.S. forces and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro without authorization from Congress. These actions constitute a serious violation of the Constitution and an alarming expansion of unchecked executive war-making power. Reassert Congress’s Exclusive War Powers Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution vests in Congress alone the authority to authorize war. When the executive initiates hostilities or effects regime change without congressional approval, it does not merely bypass procedure - it nullifies the role of the Americans’ elected representatives. This is not a policy disagreement. It is a breach of constitutional governance. Address Violations of the War Powers Resolution This action appears to have occurred without an Authorization for Use of Military Force and without compliance with the War Powers Resolution. Claims that such action can be justified as self-defense or as part of counter-narcotics efforts do not meet constitutional or statutory thresholds for the use of military force, particularly in the absence of an imminent threat to the United States. Congress therefore has an obligation to respond. Allowing unilateral military action of this magnitude to stand would establish the precedent that congressional consent is optional. Stop the Expansion From Military Action to Occupation Public statements and reporting indicate an intent for ongoing U.S. control of Venezuela following the operation, including claims that the United States would “run” the country during a transition and remain deeply involved in its political and economic affairs, particularly its oil sector. Under international law, a sitting head of state enjoys immunity from foreign prosecution, and forcibly removing a foreign leader without lawful justification undermines long-standing legal norms. The removal of a foreign leader followed by unilateral governance or economic control, absent congressional authorization, would represent an extraordinary abuse of executive power. Defend the Rules-Based International Order These actions project U.S. power outside the rules-based international order the United States claims to uphold. International law, including the U.N. Charter, prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state except in narrowly defined circumstances. Acting outside these rules mirrors conduct we condemn when Russia violates Ukrainian sovereignty and sets a precedent we fear China may invoke with respect to Taiwan. Such conduct weakens U.S. credibility and damages its standing internationally. Act Now to Reassert Congressional Authority Congress should hold hearings to establish the facts and legal rationale for this operation, formally assert that the use of force was unauthorized, invoke the War Powers Resolution, require withdrawal absent approval, and block funding for any unauthorized military engagement or occupation. Conduct Oversight and Demand Accountability Congress should subpoena relevant officials, demand documents, and investigate potential violations of domestic and international law, including any financial or strategic motives tied to natural resources. There must be accountability where constitutional boundaries were knowingly breached. Reject Delay and Demand Constitutional Compliance Silence is not neutrality. Delay is not caution. If Congress fails to act, it consents to the erosion of its authority and the Americans’ power to decide when this nation goes to war. I urge you to speak out publicly, demand answers, and take concrete action now to defend the Constitution.