Washington, 6 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The minority leader of the Democrats in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, has criticized the US government's plans to temporarily lead Venezuela as vague, unsatisfying and "based on wishful thinking."

"I did not receive any assurances that we would not try to do the same thing in other countries," Schumer said on Monday following a briefing of congressional leaders. He described the session as extensive and lengthy but said it raised more questions than it answered.

"When the United States engages in this kind of regime change, and so-called nation building, it always ends up hurting the United States. I left the briefing feeling that it would again," he added.

The United States attacked targets in Venezuela on Saturday, seizing authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores over alleged drug offences and removing them from the country. President Donald Trump said after the operation that the United States would temporarily run Venezuela.

However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said Washington aims to use an existing oil blockade to bring about political change in the country.

Photo: EPA