Domestic criticism mounts against US military operation in Venezuela

The United States faces a rising tide of domestic condemnation following a military operation early Saturday morning that struck within Venezuela and resulted in the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro.

Newly inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the operation, branding the mission an "act of war."

In a post on social media post, Mamdani said that "unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law."

"This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn't just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home," he wrote.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who was also captured in the large-scale US military strike, are reported to be in custody in New York. A military aircraft carrying the couple landed at the Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York State around 5 p.m. (2200 GMT) on Saturday, according to multiple US reports and video footage.

Demonstrations erupted outside the Newburgh air base as protesters rallied against the US military intervention. In Manhattan, crowds marched through the streets hoisting signs that read "No War on Venezuela!"

According to an unsealed indictment released by the US Department of Justice on Saturday, Maduro and several others will face charges next week including "narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices" in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Mamdani said he had called US President Donald Trump directly on Saturday to express his opposition to "a pursuit of regime change to the violation of federal, international law."

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris also condemned the action, calling it "both unlawful and unwise."

In a statement posted on X, Harris said the move is "not about drugs or democracy," but about "oil and Donald Trump's desire to play the regional strongman."

She accused the US president of "putting troops at risk, spending billions, destabilizing a region, and offering no legal authority, no exit plan and no benefit at home."

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