Five War Powers Takeaways from the Senate’s Venezuela Hearing

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding the administration's military operations in Venezuela, including the January 3 capture of President Nicolás Maduro and bombings of Venezuelan territory conducted without congressional authorization. Rubio argued that such actions fall under the President's Article II powers and the 'national-interest theory,' allowing unilateral force to protect vital national interests. The hearing highlighted a deepening divide between the executive branch and lawmakers over the War Powers Resolution and the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 against Venezuelan nationals and gangs like Tren de Aragua. Additionally, the administration has implemented a 'total and complete blockade' of Venezuela, which it characterizes as a 'quarantine' to sidestep international law prohibitions. Lawmakers expressed frustration over lack of transparency and the erosion of the rules-based international order, specifically regarding the UN Charter.