Former Vice President Kamala Harris released a statement Saturday night criticizing the U.S. military operation that led to the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The mission, ordered by President Donald Trump, was completed without any reported U.S. casualties and has been described by officials as a success.
In a post on X, Harris called the operation “unlawful and unwise,” even while admitting that Maduro is a “brutal, illegitimate dictator.” She said that actions like this could lead to “chaos,” comparing the event to past U.S. military operations tied to regime change or oil conflicts.
“Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable,” Harris wrote. She also claimed that the operation put U.S. troops in danger and lacked a clear plan for what happens next in Venezuela.
Her comments come just days after U.S. forces landed in Venezuela under the cover of night and captured Maduro from inside a heavily guarded military base in Caracas. The mission lasted just minutes and was completed without any American lives lost. Maduro and Flores were flown to the United States and are now in federal custody.
According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Maduro and his wife have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. The charges include alleged narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and weapons offenses. The U.S. Justice Department has also stated that Maduro was working with known criminal organizations to move drugs into the United States.
Despite Harris’s criticism, many Americans—especially Venezuelan Americans—have welcomed the news. In cities like Miami, Doral, and Houston, Venezuelan communities gathered to celebrate the fall of a regime that has ruled their homeland for over two decades. Since 2014, nearly eight million Venezuelans have fled the country due to political oppression, food shortages, and a collapsed economy.
🚨 UPDATE: In an emotional moment, Venezuelans are erupting in tearful celebration—hugging one another, waving flags, and chanting for freedom! Exiled communities in Miami and across Latin America are partying as if a decades-long nightmare has finally ended. pic.twitter.com/VlTYUrpzcq
— TRUMP SUPPORTER (@_Postive_Vibes) January 3, 2026
🚨 HEARTWARMING SCENES FROM VENEZUELA:
• Venezuelans thanking President Trump from the bottom of their hearts
• Venezuelans thanking the United States for standing with freedom
• Joyful crowds dancing, waving flags, and chanting “LIBERTAD!”
pic.twitter.com/zqNmrXHDN7— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 3, 2026
Harris, who served under President Joe Biden, had previously supported the administration’s decision to place a $25 million bounty on Maduro’s head. That reward was meant to help U.S. authorities gather information that would lead to his arrest. Now, less than a year later, she is criticizing the very outcome that bounty was intended to bring about.
In her statement, Harris argued that the American people “do not want this” kind of action from their leaders. However, early polls and reactions from both sides of the aisle suggest broad public support for Maduro’s arrest and the clean execution of the operation. President Trump has said the U.S. will work to stabilize Venezuela until fair elections can be held.
Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.
That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was both unlawful and unwise. We’ve seen this movie before. Wars for regime change or oil that…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 4, 2026
During a press conference after the mission, Trump stated that America would “run the country” for the time being, and announced plans to rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry with American companies. The move sparked criticism from some international leaders and groups, but supporters say it marks a new chapter for Venezuela and a stronger stance against global drug trafficking.
Rubio and other members of the Trump administration have pushed back on Harris’s claims, arguing that the operation was legal, necessary, and carefully executed. “We got the number one target,” Rubio said Sunday on NBC. “This was a guy who had declared himself the president of a country and was running an alleged narco-state.”
The Biden-Harris administration made available a $25,000,000 reward for information that would have lead to the arrest of Nicolas Maduro.
Now you’re saying capturing him was unlawful? Did you just entirely forget your administration’s policy? pic.twitter.com/fbXSDzPZ68
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) January 4, 2026
While the long-term future of Venezuela remains uncertain, many see Maduro’s removal as a turning point. Harris’s response has already triggered debate about whether her comments reflect a broader difference in how Democrats and Republicans view U.S. leadership on the global stage. Her statement continues to draw attention as the world watches what happens next in Venezuela.
