After the United States attacked Venezuela early Saturday and apprehended President Nicolás Maduro, a Salt Lake County councilman called it a “miracle.”
Other Utah lawmakers responded with cautious optimism, while saying they want to hear more from the Trump administration.
The attack, carried out by the U.S. military early Saturday, came as a surprise to members of Congress, who were not briefed before the action. President Donald Trump said in a press conference on Saturday this was so news of the attack wouldn’t leak.
Moreno: Maduro’s removal a ‘miracle’
Salt Lake County Councilman Carlos Moreno fled Venezuela a decade ago after he was charged with treason by the Venezuelan government for speaking out against its socialist dictatorship. He became a U.S. citizen in 2022.
Moreno called Maduro’s removal on Saturday a “miracle.”
“I knew this was coming,” he said. “What surprised me was how fast, and incredible was the military operation in Venezuela.”
He called Maduro “one of worst dictators in the world right now.”
“They work in the drug industry exporting drugs across Europe and America, they use all tools of the state to commercialize this industry with the drugs,” he said. “Bringing these drugs to the U.S. is a crime, bringing that poison to our country.”
Moreno added he believes Maduro is part of a “transnational criminal organization, he is the head.”
“The people of Venezuela are tired, they want freedom, want opportunity, want food on their table,” he said. “The only tool (the regime) had was the violence, torture of dissidents — that was the only power they had, was fear. Now with U.S. in charge, we can rebuild economics, infrastructure, and self esteem of people."
He said the Venezuelan people “want freedom.”
Utah’s all-Republican congressional delegation responds to attacks
Utah Sen. Mike Lee first said he wanted to know what “might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.”
Lee later said in a post on X that he had spoken to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told him Maduro was “arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.”
“This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” he said.
Utah Sen. John Curtis spoke about his experience seeing “human suffering” in Venezuela, while adding that he expects a “full and timely briefing.”
“I’ve stood on the border between Venezuela and Colombia and witnessed the level of human suffering inflicted by the Maduro regime. I’ve seen the human cost of failed authoritarian socialism made even worse by the ties to drug cartels, terrorist groups, Russia, and Iran which threaten Americans in our own hemisphere,” he wrote in a social media post.
He added, “As Chair of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, I expect a full and timely briefing on the nature, scope, and impact of these actions.”
In a post on X, Utah Rep. Burgess Owens wrote, “American forces acted with courage, discipline, and precision to apprehend Nicolás Maduro a narco-terrorist responsible for the deaths of over 300,000 innocent Americans.”
“Indicted and criminally charged in U.S. federal court in 2020, he was never a legitimate head of Venezuela. I am deeply grateful to those who executed this action and thankful that no American lives were lost,” he continued. “I am praying for the full recovery of those injured. Justice is finally being served, and Venezuela now has a real chance at a future free from criminal rule and rooted in law, stability, and freedom. God bless America and the Venezuelan people.”
Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy said he is “closely monitoring” the situation in a post on X.
“The Nicolás Maduro regime has long operated as narco-terrorists and a serious driver of drug cartel activity in the United States,” he said. “I await President Trump’s further clarity regarding the scope and strategic intent of these actions.”