Some of the state’s top officials are supporting President Donald Trump’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. According to Reuters, President Maduro has been deemed a dictator and an "illegitimate" president by many Western countries, including the U.S., in recent elections they claim were fraudulent.
Maduro was indicted by a New York grand jury for allegedly trafficking drugs into the U.S. He’s facing charges related to narco-terrorism, cocaine-trafficking and weapons offenses. The United States captured him over the weekend. The Trump Administration has said the United States will run Venezuela until a new leader can be chosen, though details are not clear on what that will look like.
The Washington Post reports some have called his capture a violation of international law that bans countries from unlawfully using force against another state. However, leaders in South Dakota are praising the Trump Administration.
U.S. Senator and Majority Leader John Thune lauded the capture. He said, “President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States.”
Thune said he expects the Senate to be further briefed on the operation this week, when the body returns to Washington.
US Sen. Mike Rounds took to social media to praise the move. He said that “President Trump has sent a message to the world that if you harm the United States of America, you will face the consequences.” He also claimed that Maduro’s support of cartels in Venezuela have led to the deaths of thousands of Americans over several years.
South Dakota’s lone representative in the House, Dusty Johnson, said he’s looking forward to being briefed about the operation, the next steps for Venezuela and “the efforts to end the deadly flow of drugs” into the United States.
Oher state officials, like Gov. Larry Rhoden and Attorney General Marty Jackley celebrated the announcement. Jackley called capturing Maduro “a significant step in the fight against narco-terrorism.”
However, the state Democratic Party doesn’t see it as such. On Facebook, the party said the actions are “plunging us into a needless war to take Venezuela’s oil – and we’re footing the bill.”
The party also pointed to the fact that the Trump Administration didn’t consult Congress prior to the capture, which some have claimed is a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The administration maintains the president has power to do so under Article II as commander in chief.
