As Trump raises pressure on Venezuela, senators hope to lower heat

17/10/2025 17:09

Democratic and Republican U.S. senators announced plans on Friday to force a vote on a resolution to prevent military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, seeking to rein in President Donald Trump's escalation of pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government.



Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, who is sponsoring the war powers resolution with fellow Democrat Adam Schiff of California and Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, said he was responding to the repeated U.S. strikes on boats off Venezuela.



There have been at least five such strikes, which the Trump administration says are part of a campaign against drug traffickers. They have killed at least 27 people.



Kaine noted the U.S. constitutional requirement that only Congress, not the president, authorizes war, except for short-term strikes.



The Trump administration's campaign in the southern Caribbean has lasted for weeks. Trump has also dangled the possibility of land attacks against Venezuela. And he disclosed on Wednesday that he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.