Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that future decisions by the United States concerning Venezuela will hinge on the actions of Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and other officials. "Venezuelan officials have a unique and historic opportunity to provide a great service to the country, and I hope they will seize it," Rubio emphasized. His remarks came following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as reported by the New York Times. Rubio noted that Maduro had multiple opportunities to avoid the current situation, having been offered generous terms which he chose to ignore. According to Kuwait News Agency, Rubio addressed concerns regarding the legality of US strikes on Caracas. He explained that it was not feasible to inform US lawmakers in advance, aligning with President Trump's assertion that the operation was primarily an act of law enforcement, distinguishing it from military actions that require congressional oversight. Earlier, Senator Tim Kaine, a prominent m ember of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and the Armed Services Committee, criticized President Trump's decision to conduct an unauthorized military attack on Venezuela. Kaine condemned the action as a regressive move reminiscent of past US interventions in the Western Hemisphere, arguing that it undermines the United States' ability to demand respect for its sovereignty when it does not reciprocate. Kaine questioned the potential future actions of the Trump administration, citing concerns over the President's willingness to deploy troops for various international conflicts without seeking congressional approval. He stressed the importance of Congress reasserting its constitutional authority over war, peace, diplomacy, and trade. The senator announced the upcoming vote on his bipartisan resolution, which stipulates that the US should not engage in war with Venezuela without clear congressional authorization. Kaine has been an outspoken critic of the expansion of military force without legislative approval, having filed a War Powers Resolution with other senators to prevent unauthorized military engagement in Venezuela. Despite previous efforts to pass similar resolutions, a lack of sufficient Republican support has hindered their success.
