WASHINGTON. – Despite the bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of the dictator who held power in Caracas, The White House insists that the United States has not engaged in a war effort. From the very first moment, Donald Trump created a very specific political and legal framework. What happened would not be a war or military intervention against a sovereign state, but rather an action of “law and order.” intended for execution a pending court order against Nicolás Maduro.
This argument is neither rhetorical nor improvised. Is a conscious construction that pursues several goals at the same time. The first, Avoid the legal requirement to inform Congress in advance under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires notification when the President involves the armed forces in hostilities or in scenarios that could lead to a prolonged armed conflict. Other, Avoid the internal political attrition that would mean allowing a new war in Latin America. especially before a Republican electorate deeply chastened by Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Trump administration’s central thesis is that Nicolás Maduro was treated not as an enemy head of state, but as an accused fugitive from American justice. In March 2020, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York accused him of drug terrorism, Conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and crimes involving the use of weapons of war. This case remains open and penalties are being considered You can get a life sentence. For the White House, what happened is not an act of war, but The culmination of a criminal complaint that has been in force for almost six years.
From this point of view, Washington claims so There was no political or military regime change, but rather the arrest of a person wanted by the judiciary. will be tried in the United States along with his wife. This is not about overthrowing a foreign government, but rather about executing an arrest warrant against a specific person, even if that person holds power in their country.
On this basis The Trump administration argues that the War Powers Resolution does not apply to this case. According to his interpretation, there was no deployment of troops to prolonged hostilities, no occupation of territory and no open campaign. The action was time-limited and had a single and unified goal. Ensuring the arrest and collection of the accused. According to this report, the use of force was incidental and functional in nature, not strategic.
Trump has strengthened this framework by emphasizing operations It was carried out “in cooperation with law enforcement authorities”. and that the military means used played a crucial role in protecting the agents responsible for executing the court order and ensuring their exit from the country. In this logic, the use of bombers, helicopters or elite units does not automatically transform the action into a war, just as other operations to capture criminal or terrorist leaders abroad have been portrayed as police operations with military support.
The White House also invokes Article II of the Constitution, This gives the president broad authority as commander in chief to protect U.S. personnel from immediate threats. Once a high-risk court order is activated, the executive branch defends it The President may authorize the use of force necessary to ensure compliance without requiring specific authorization from Congress. as long as it does not lead to a longer procedure.
This argument does not eliminate the controversy, neither within nor outside the United States. For many governments and lawyers, bombing attacks on targets abroad is important It de facto fits into a military action. But Washington insists that the key lies not in the means used, but in the purpose, scope and duration. By portraying the operation as a law enforcement operation against a specific defendant, The White House is trying to protect itself legally and reduce internal political costs. In this version Maduro’s capture does not mark the start of a war, but rather the forced conclusion of a legal process that has been ongoing for years.
* From the newspaper ABC, Spain
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