Nebraska officials express support for US capture of Venezuelan president

Members of Nebraska’s Congressional delegation expressed support for a U.S. military operation in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

President Donald Trump announced early Saturday morning on social media that Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country after a “large scale strike” that “was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”

Second District Rep. Don Bacon said in a statement that the operation would be, “great for the future of Venezuelans and the region.”

However, Bacon expressed concern that Russia would use the operation as justification for its “illegal and barbaric military actions against Ukraine” or that China will use it to justify an invasion of Taiwan.

Sen. Deb Fischer said in a social media post that the operation was justified because, “Maduro was an indicted dictator for crimes of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.”

She thanked the military and troops for a, “successful military operation to carry out a legal action.”

First District Rep. Mike Flood said on social media that, "Thanks to American leadership, Maduro’s reign of terror has come to an end. President Trump and his team used brilliant strategic force to capture Maduro alive so that the tyrant will face prosecution for his crimes in a court of law."

Third District Rep. Adrian Smith called Maduro a “longtime target of federal drug trafficking investigations.”

In a social media post, Smith said he welcomed the initial reports of Maduro’s capture and the fact that he would be tried in U.S. courts.

Sen. Pete Ricketts, in a social media post, called Maduro an "illegitimate dictator" and a "narcoterrorist." "Congratulations to President Trump for taking swift action to capture him," Ricketts said. "God bless the heroic troops who executed this successful mission."