(The Center Square and Wisconsin Right Now) — Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are reacting to President Donald Trump’s announcement of the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
They include Wisconsin Republicans Tom Tiffany and Derrick Van Orden.
“Nicolas Maduro was the leader of a designated terrorist narco-cartel responsible for the deaths of countless Americans, and he will now face justice for his crimes,” wrote Tiffany, who is running for governor. “I commend President Trump and the brave U.S. personnel who carried out this efficient and effective operation.”
Van Orden, a former Navy SEAL chief, wrote, “This operation sends a clear message to America’s adversaries: harming U.S. citizens carries consequences. Nicolás Maduro operated as a narco-terrorist under the false cover of political authority. His criminal network helped fuel the drug trafficking that has killed thousands of Americans. He is now detained and no longer in a position to threaten American lives.”
Added Van Orden: “President Trump’s decisive leadership made this possible. His administration has made it clear that America will no longer tolerate narco-terrorists who profit from the deaths of our citizens.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, slammed Trump’s action, which freed millions of people from socialist tyranny, which had kept the country in poverty.
In a post to social media, Trump announced the U.S. carried out a “large scale strike” against Venezuela, capturing Maduro and his wife.
The two are in U.S. custody and charged with “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.,” according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., praised Trump’s decision-making and called Maduro an illegitimate dictator. He said the Venezuelan leader was running a “vast drug-trafficking operation.”
Cotton also said he was briefed on Maduro’s capture by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said Rubio confirmed Maduro was in U.S. custody.
“The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world,” Cotton said. “I urge them to choose wisely.”
Similarly, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said she fully supports Trump’s actions in Venezuela.
“Nicolas Maduro will face justice on American soil,” Blackburn said. “I fully support the Trump administration for doing what is needed to protect American lives.”
House Republican chair Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., also emphatically backed President Trump’s decision-making in a post on social media.
“President Trump has cracked down on drug trafficking harder than any President in history,” McClain wrote. “Maduro is a narco-terrorist. Period. His illegitimate regime floods our country with deadly drugs and Americans pay the price. President Trump didn’t look the other way; he acted. That’s what leadership looks like, and it’s how you protect the American people.”
Andrew Rice
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Reposted with permission
