Schmitt Rejects Regime Change Claims in Venezuela

Senator Eric Schmitt pushed back against claims that the U.S. operation in Venezuela amounted to regime change, saying the mission was narrowly focused on extracting Nicolás Maduro, whom he described as a fugitive from American justice. Schmitt noted that Democrats had previously called for Maduro’s arrest and pointed to a long-standing U.S. reward for his capture. He argued the United States now holds significant leverage through a naval quarantine on Venezuelan oil exports and said stability could open the door for rebuilding the country’s energy sector with outside investment.