Congressional Republicans support Venezuela strikes, Maduro capture

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(The Center Square) — Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are reacting to President Donald Trump's announcement of the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. 

In a post to social media, Trump announced the U.S. carried out a "large scale strike" against Venezuela, capturing Maduro and his wife.

The two are in U.S. custody and charged with "narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.," according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. 

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., praised Trump's decision-making and called Maduro an illegitimate dictator. He said the Venezuelan leader was running a "vast drug-trafficking operation." 

Cotton also said he was briefed on Maduro's capture by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said Rubio confirmed Maduro was in U.S. custody. 

"The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world," Cotton said. "I urge them to choose wisely."

Similarly, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said she fully supports Trump's actions in Venezuela. 

"Nicolas Maduro will face justice on American soil," Blackburn said. "I fully support the Trump administration for doing what is needed to protect American lives." 

House Republican chair Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., also emphatically backed President Trump's decision-making in a post on social media. 

"President Trump has cracked down on drug trafficking harder than any President in history," McClain wrote. "Maduro is a narco-terrorist. Period. His illegitimate regime floods our country with deadly drugs and Americans pay the price. President Trump didn’t look the other way; he acted. That’s what leadership looks like, and it’s how you protect the American people."