Marco Rubio confirms absence of US troops in Venezuela, promises Congress compliance
WASHINGTON, DC: Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch on Wednesday, January 14, to confirm that there were currently no US troops on the ground in Venezuela, amid ongoing debate over the US military’s role following a surprise operation that seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3.
Rubio added that should any new military operations involving US forces occur, the administration would notify Congress in writing under Section 4(a) of the 'War Powers Resolution', reinforcing constitutional requirements for legislative oversight.
Congress seeks clarity after 'Absolute Resolve'
The letter responded to a request from Risch, who urged the administration to clarify the status of US forces after the operation, dubbed 'Operation Absolute Resolve', included US military strike elements and resulted in Maduro’s capture.
Risch’s correspondence sought “official correspondence confirming Operation Absolute Resolve has ended and that US military personnel are no longer involved in hostilities in Venezuela.”
The clarification came as lawmakers pushed for accountability and transparency in foreign military engagements.
Marco Rubio's assurance follows Senate war powers move
The assurance from Rubio came amid a broader Senate effort to constrain presidential authority for further military action in Venezuela, with a bipartisan 'War Powers Resolution' advancing last week that would require congressional approval for additional operations.
Republican leaders were also working to persuade senators who supported that resolution to reverse course ahead of a final vote, even as critics argued that the Maduro operation lacked proper congressional notification and authorization.
Rubio repeatedly emphasized that the US was not at war with Venezuela and that its current engagement was primarily through sanctions enforcement and strategic pressure, not prolonged military occupation.
His letter was seen as a commitment to comply with constitutional war powers requirements in any future military involvement, even as debate continued over the legality and oversight of recent actions in Venezuela.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro captured by US forces
The dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3 marked an unprecedented military intervention by the United States in Latin America.
Codenamed 'Operation Absolute Resolve', US forces launched an early-morning strike on Caracas and key northern Venezuelan military installations to apprehend Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The operation involved air strikes to disable air defenses, followed by elite special-operations teams that secured Maduro’s compound and flew him out of the country to face federal charges in the United States.
The Trump administration had accused Maduro’s government of acting as a country allied with international criminal networks and linked to illicit material transportation and repression.
US officials also pointed to long-standing allegations of corruption, electoral manipulation and human rights abuses under Maduro’s rule.
