Jim Himes

Thank you, Rachel.

American people, even if you're not sort of interested in the words of the Constitution, committing our young men and women, putting them at risk, getting them killed in places like Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States Congress, the representatives of the people should have a role in that decision.

it's going to be interesting.

So let's try to break this out a bit.

I think for European allies, many of whom had opposed Nicolás Maduro, had denounced the elections, this is still coming as somewhat of a surprise.

Some of it is a step too far.

I think many of them will welcome the fact that there could potentially be a democratic transition, will reemphasize the fact that Maduro was an illegitimate president in Venezuela.

But of course, what comes next is really going to be the key, because as

Everyone has been saying, including the Trump administration, and this they get right, this is a deeply criminal, corrupt regime.

So if there's going to be a regime change from within, and some people are alleging right now that the vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, is somehow preparing to assume some sort of interim role, that will not be palatable to many governments, even within the European Union.

So we'll have to see how this shakes out.

I think we'll see, again, denunciation of Nicolas Maduro, but some trepidation, concern even about U.S.

tactics to get there.

But in particular, what will happen in the next few days is going to determine how many governments will respond.

If it's by some miracle a successful operation that leads to a democratic transition and peace in Venezuela, then perhaps the norm-violating actions of the Trump administration will be forgotten.

But if it

suddenly turn south, I think we're going to see much more criticism.

For other governments within Latin America, we are going to see from the left-leaning governments, such as in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, severe denunciations of this intervention.

From the other governments that are closely aligned with the Donald Trump administration, I think they'll remain quiet.

And the truth is, is that Maduro remains a deeply unpopular figure across Latin America because of his transnational criminal ties and because of the massive wave of refugees that have left Venezuela, more than eight million people and are placing severe difficulties on public, not public safety, but public safety net programs such as an education, health care and the like.