Bernie Sanders blasts Trump’s Venezuela strike after years of softer tone toward Nicolas Maduro

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen Bernie Sanders sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s recent military strikes in Venezuela, marking a notable moment in his long‑running commentary on US foreign policy and socialist leaders abroad.

Sanders objected to the strike as unconstitutional, even while his own past rhetoric toward socialist strongmen like Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro has been more restrained. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US forces during an operation carried out in Venezuela on Saturday, January 3.

Bernie Sanders condemns Donald Trump’s actions on Venezuela

Sanders railed against Trump’s weekend strikes in Venezuela, arguing that the military action and the capture of Maduro were illegal without congressional approval.

Sanders and several of his Senate Democratic colleagues contended that Trump’s decision to order strikes in Venezuela’s capital without authorization from Congress “broke the law” and sidestepped the Constitution’s war powers.

In a statement, Sanders said, “Donald Trump has, once again, shown his contempt for the Constitution and the rule of law. The President of the United States does NOT have the right to unilaterally take this country to war, even against a corrupt and brutal dictator like Maduro.” 

He further said, "The United States does NOT have the right, as Trump stated this morning, to 'run' Venezuela. Congress must immediately pass a War Powers Resolution to end this illegal military operation and reassert its constitutional responsibilities."

Sanders then cautioned, "Trump’s attack on Venezuela will make the United States and the world less safe. This brazen violation of international law gives a green light to any nation on earth that may wish to attack another country to seize their resources or change their governments."

Addressing the conflict in Ukraine, he said, “This is the horrific logic of force that Putin used to justify his brutal attack on Ukraine.”

Bernie Sanders shifts his stance on Nicolas Maduro

Criticizing the Trump administration’s approach to Latin America, Sanders said, “Trump and his administration have often said they want to revive the Monroe Doctrine, claiming the United States has the right to dominate the affairs of the hemisphere.” 

Although Sanders labeled Maduro a dictator in this instance, that represents a shift from his past rhetoric toward the Venezuelan leader. During his 2019 presidential campaign, Sanders declined to call Maduro a dictator, instead emphasizing support for internationally supervised free and fair elections in Venezuela.

At the time, he said, “I think it’s fair to say that the last election was undemocratic, but there are still democratic operations taking place in that country.”

Sanders has also historically accused Trump of authoritarian tendencies at home. In 2020 on X, he said "Under this administration, authoritarianism has taken root in our country" and declared his commitment to work across the political spectrum to “preserve this nation” against threats to democratic foundations.

The lawmaker has previously expressed support for certain policies under former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. During his most recent presidential campaign, Sanders faced criticism for a speech he gave in the 1980s in which he praised the socialist programs implemented by Castro and his government.

When questioned about that speech at a later town hall, Sanders emphasized that he has consistently opposed authoritarian regimes worldwide.