Kamala Harris Blasts Capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘Unlawful and Unwise’ 

Former Vice President Kamala Harris blasted the Trump administration late Saturday, condemning the dramatic capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his wife as both illegal and dangerous.

In a lengthy statement posted on X, Harris acknowledged Maduro’s reputation as a “brutal” and “illegitimate” ruler but argued that President Donald Trump’s decision to seize him does nothing to benefit Americans.

“Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable,” Harris wrote. “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.”

She went on to warn that regime-change operations often spiral into chaos.

“Wars for regime change or oil are sold as strength,” Harris said, “but they turn into chaos — and American families pay the price.”

Her remarks came just hours after the Trump administration confirmed that Maduro and his wife were captured and removed from Venezuela during what officials described as Operation Absolute Resolve.

Harris accused the administration of being driven by oil interests rather than democracy or drug enforcement, claiming Americans are being misled about the true motives behind the operation.

“The American people do not want this, and they are tired of being lied to,” she wrote. “This is not about drugs or democracy. It’s about oil and Donald Trump’s desire to play the regional strongman.”

She also took aim at Trump’s past decisions, suggesting they undermine his stated goals in Venezuela.

“If he cared about either, he wouldn’t pardon a convicted drug trafficker or sideline Venezuela’s legitimate opposition while pursuing deals with Maduro’s cronies,” Harris added.

The former vice president, who is widely rumored to be considering a run in the 2028 presidential race, further accused Trump of putting U.S. troops in harm’s way and destabilizing the region without a clear plan.

“The President is putting troops at risk, spending billions, destabilizing a region, and offering no legal authority, no exit plan, and no benefit at home,” she wrote. “America needs leadership that lowers costs for working families, enforces the rule of law, strengthens alliances, and puts the American people first.”

Meanwhile, Maduro and his wife were transported to New York and arrived late Saturday at the Metropolitan Detention Center after being processed by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Manhattan.

Earlier in the day, Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.”

Senior administration officials, including John Ratcliffe and Marco Rubio, were involved in briefings surrounding the operation.