{"id":490285,"date":"2026-01-03T21:24:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T21:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/490285\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T21:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T21:24:11","slug":"san-diego-has-mixed-reactions-to-u-s-military-operation-in-venezuela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/490285\/","title":{"rendered":"San Diego has mixed reactions to U.S. military operation in Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Smoke rises from Fort Tiuna, the main military garrison in Caracas, Venezuela, after multiple explosions were heard and aircraft swept through the area, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix)<\/p>\n

Reactions were mixed Saturday by San Diegans following the military action in Venezuela, in which that country\u2019s President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro was captured by the U.S. military and brought to New York to face drug charges.<\/p>\n

Alejandra Herrera owns Encuento Cafe, an Old Town restaurant that serves Venezuelan food.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very happy. We\u2019ve been waiting for this for three years,\u201d she told City News Service. \u201cIt\u2019s something that we definitely needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Herrera immigrated to the United States from Venezuela 11 years ago. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be very difficult at the beginning,\u201d she said. \u201d \u2026 We are grateful to the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n

Criseiea Waldenberg, president of Casa de Venezuela of San Diego, called it \u201cone of the happiest moments of my life. Venezuela is FREE of this dictator!\u201d she posted on Instagram. \u201cVenezuelans tried the pacifist way for years with no results. A third of the population of Venezuela lives in exile, thousands have died, disappeared or are incarcerated.<\/p>\n

Waldenberg\u2019s statement continued. \u201cVenezuelans will FOREVER be thankful to the USA for finally listening to their plea for help.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-San Diego, stated her opposition to the operation on X.<\/p>\n

\u201cKidnapping President Maduro in a regime change operation won\u2019t help protect the American people. It won\u2019t actually mitigate drug trafficking in the United States: Venezuela plays virtually no role in producing or trafficking fentanyl,\u201d Jacobs said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI strongly urge President Trump to abstain from further unauthorized actions and any occupation of Venezuela. Next week, the Senate will vote on a resolution to block U.S. military action against Venezuela absent authorization by Congress, and the House must do the same,\u201d Jacobs continued. <\/p>\n

Rep. Mike Levin, D-Oceanside, also said President Donald Trump should have informed Congress prior to the raid.<\/p>\n

\u201cNicolas Maduro was an illegitimate authoritarian ruler who dismantled Venezuela\u2019s democratic institutions and presided over repression, corruption, and economic collapse. Millions of Venezuelans have paid the price, and their country is better off without him,\u201d Levin said. \u201cBut that reality does not relieve the Trump administration of its constitutional obligations.<\/p>\n

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Fallbrook, had a different take.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur elite military have again performed brilliantly with total effectiveness, and minimum loss of life. They are the best-trained, best- equipped, and bravest in the world,\u201d Issa posted on X. \u201cOnce again, @realDonaldTrump has taken strong action to protect America\u2019s homeland from neighboring threats of narcoterrorism and the scourge of deadly narcotics. The Trump Administration has my full support.\u201d<\/p>\n

After months of escalating tensions in which the U.S. conducted deadly strikes against alleged drug boats from Venezuela, seized an oil tanker and ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers, the U.S. military launched the large-scale operation in Caracas overnight Friday and early Saturday.<\/p>\n

Maduro, who is under federal indictment in the United States for allegedly running a cartel that has funneled drugs into the U.S., and his wife were taken from their home and were being transported aboard the USS Iwo Jima to New York to face charges.<\/p>\n

At a news conference Saturday, Trump said the United States would \u201cbe running\u201d Venezuela indefinitely until a \u201cjudicious\u201d transfer of power could take place. He added that the United States would be taking over the country\u2019s oil fields, increasing production and selling the oil to other nations, including China and Russia.<\/p>\n

Venezuela contains the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserves and used to be among its largest oil producers, but its production has fallen off drastically in the last couple decades.<\/p>\n

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Saturday that the nature of the military operation, which officials planned for days but waited to launch until weather conditions were ideal, did not allow for congressional notification. Trump added that Congress was known to leak information, and that could have jeopardized the mission.<\/p>\n

San Diego-based ships deployed to the Caribbean in late 2025 for Operation Southern Spear include the guided-missile destroyers USS Stockdale and USS Sampson, along with the cruiser USS Lake Erie. These vessels operated as part of a larger U.S. Southern Command buildup targeting drug cartels.<\/p>\n

It was unclear what role they played in the operation.<\/p>\n

The group Indivisible North County San Diego was planning a vigil at Camp Pendleton\u2019s main gate at 3 p.m. Saturday to protest the U.S. operation. Other protests were planned in downtown San Diego and Barrio Logan.<\/p>\n

Updated at 1:10 p.m. Jan. 3, 2025<\/p>\n

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