The United States Senate on 8 January approved a procedural resolution that blocks further military action by President Donald Trump’s administration in Venezuela without congressional authorisation, US media reported.
The vote, which came days after the US military operation in Venezuela, paves the way for further consideration of the document in the House of Representatives of 100 congressmen, Reuters noted.
The document was supported by 52 senators, with 47 opposed.Along with all Democrats, several of Trump’s Republican Party associates voted in favour of advancing the resolution this time.
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Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he supported the document, which would “block the Trump administration from using U.S. military forces” to engage in actions against Venezuela without congressional approval.
“Today we are sending a strong message to the Trump administration: no more endless wars,” Schumer said.
Two previous attempts to advance similar resolutions were blocked in the Senate last year by Trump’s associates amid his administration’s increased military pressure on Venezuela since September, when U.S. forces began attacking vessels in the southern Caribbean Sea for suspected drug trafficking.
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On the night of 3 January, US forces struck military installations in the Venezuelan capital Caracas and captured the country’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores. US authorities do not consider Maduro to be the legitimate president of Venezuela and accuse him and Flores of plotting “narco-terrorism”.
Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores appeared in court in New York on 5 January. They were charged with four counts – conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine-guns and explosive devices, and conspiracy to purchase machine-guns and explosive devices.
The couple refused to plead guilty, and Maduro said he still considers himself president of Venezuela.