Maduro Lawyer Calls US Operation 'Unconstitutional'

Bruce Fein, a former senior US Justice Department official and now part of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s legal team, has described the US operation that led to Maduro’s capture as a clear violation of the US Constitution.

In an exclusive interview with Tukey's TRT World, Fein said the Trump administration breached the Constitution’s War Powers Clause by carrying out a military-style operation against a foreign head of state without congressional authorisation.

The removal of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by US forces on January 3 marked a major escalation in Washington’s long-running confrontation with Caracas. Legal analysts say the incident has reignited global debate over state sovereignty, diplomatic immunity, and the legality of using force outside a formally declared war.

While the administration of then-US President Donald Trump portrayed the operation as a legitimate law-enforcement action against what it labelled a “criminal leader,” many constitutional and international law experts argue the move set a troubling precedent.

Fein, who served as Associate Deputy Attorney General during the Reagan administration, rejected the claim that the incident constituted lawful policing.

“There is no principle in international law that allows a country to indict a foreign leader and then invade another state to arrest him,”

Fein said. “That logic would justify the invasion of any country under the banner of justice.”

He added that genuine law enforcement would not involve large-scale military force or the seizure of national infrastructure. “If the goal were simply an arrest, you would detain the individual and leave. You do not take control of a nation’s oil resources to prosecute one person,” Fein said.

According to US officials, special forces carried out a rapid operation that resulted in Maduro and his wife being taken to New York to face charges related to drugs and weapons. The action was presented by the Trump administration as part of a broader doctrine asserting US dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Maduro has categorically rejected all accusations. In his first court appearance, he declared himself the sitting president of Venezuela and said he had been forcibly abducted from his residence in Caracas.

Legal experts say the case highlights the increasingly blurred line between law enforcement and geopolitical coercion.

The operation was followed by public statements from US officials suggesting Washington would assume a decisive role in managing Venezuela’s political future and natural resources. The country holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

Since Maduro’s removal, US leaders have repeatedly indicated they intend to exert long-term influence over Venezuela’s governance, including cooperation with an interim administration led by Maduro ally Delcy Rodríguez.

In a recent interview, Trump stated that the United States could effectively run Venezuela and utilise its oil resources for years to come.