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Vt. delegation condemns Trump’s kidnapping

Vermont’s congressional delegation condemned the U.S. military’s attack on Venezuela over the weekend that led to the capture of the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, and Vermont Democrats U.S. Sen. Peter Welch and U.S. Rep Becca Balint, all labeled Maduro a brutal authoritarian but said President Donald Trump’s attacks on the South American country exceeded his constitutional authority.

“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,” Sanders said in a statement.

U.S. forces entered the Venezuelan capital of Caracas overnight Friday into Saturday, and more than 100 U.S. aircraft helped neutralize the country’s air defenses, the New York Times reported. Current news reports say about 80 people were killed, up from 40 cited on Tuesday, though Trump said no Americans were killed in the attack.

American troops captured both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, later transporting them out of the country. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro would face charges in the U.S. of narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy, among other charges.

Trump said Saturday the U.S. would “run” Venezuela while a transfer of power took place. The details of that plan have not been made clear, though many of Trump’s comments focused on growing the Venezuelan oil industry. The country is currently being ruled by leaders of the same dictatorial party led by Maduro.

Vermont’s top federal lawmakers wasted little time in condemning the military escalation. They had similarly criticized the staging of Vermont Air National Guard members to support the military buildup against Venezuela.

“President Trump’s hunger for a regime-change war makes it clear he doesn’t care about how this unauthorized and illegal action could cause further chaos and suffering in Venezuela. Has he learned nothing from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya?” Welch said in a statement Saturday. “This could lead us into another forever war, risking the lives of U.S. service members and hurting the economy.”

Balint, in her own statement, said the U.S. had made “these horrible mistakes before.”

“Americans do not want another war,” she said.

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