US imperial senate floor, following the voting of the resolution on October 8, 2025. Photo: US Congress footage screenshot via X/@CraigCaplan.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—In Washington, a Democrat initiative to halt the military campaign launched by President Donald Trump in Caribbean waters was narrowly rejected by Republicans in the senate of the US empire, showing an unusual divide in Congress on US colonial foreign policy. The campaign is directed almost exclusively against Venezuelans and comes alongside increasing misinformation about Venezuela.
The bill, sponsored by Democrat Senator Adam Schiff of California and supported by Democrat Senators Tim Kaine of Virginia, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, was defeated by a vote of 48 to 51 this Thursday, October 9.
It aimed to end unauthorized US imperial military strikes on unidentified vessels in the Caribbean. Five of these strikes have already occurred since September 2, murdering at least 21 people that the US empire has accused of being “drug traffickers” without providing location, time, date, names, or the type of drug supposedly being smuggled.
The Senate has defeated an effort to use the War Powers act to block President Trump's use of military force against drug boats in the Caribbean. Fetterman D-PA voted 'No.' R's Paul & Murkowski votes 'Yes' pic.twitter.com/ztAlXwTmlc
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) October 9, 2025
According to the senators, it is the exclusive jurisdiction of the US imperial congress to declare war against another country or drug trafficking groups, and to authorize the use of force. The warning from the imperial senators Schiff, Kaine, Wyden, and Sanders is clear: “If a president can unilaterally list individuals or groups and kill them, there is no meaningful limit to his use of force.”
US colonial senators had previously requested evidence from the US regime that the vessels were transporting narcotics, as well as a legal justification and explanation for the decision to bomb rather than intercept.
“We are not at war with Venezuela,” said Senator Patty Murray, “and Americans do not want to be dragged into a war with Venezuela because this White House wrongly believes they can kill anyone they want, without regard for the law or Congress.”
“This sends a message when a significant number of lawmakers say, ‘Hey, this is a bad idea,'” Senator Tim Kaine said, after their proposal was rejected.
“When you [murder innocent people], you get evidence, people, and drugs, you confiscate the evidence, and then you use it to build cases against the kingpins,” Kaine argued, noting that sinking ships and killing their crew is counterproductive in the “War on Drugs.”
The White House had already announced that Trump would veto any legislation attempting to limit these powers. However, the vote gave lawmakers a chance to publicly discuss their disagreements with these attacks, which constitute violations of US imperial and international law that consider such strikes to be extrajudicial killings.
President Petro Confirms that Latest Boat Destroyed by US in Caribbean Was Colombian
The secretary of state for the US empire, Marco Rubio, a staunch warmonger, positioned himself in favor of ignoring the laws and the constitution. Prior to Wednesday’s vote, he alleged that the Democrats’ resolution sought to “strip President Trump of his constitutional authority to protect Americans by authorizing military strikes against narco-terrorists, the Houthis, and other Iranian allies.”
After 21 extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean and the leaked Trump decision to suspend diplomatic contacts with Venezuela in a veritable military escalation aimed at intervention, Rubio and Trump have failed to demonstrate that the attacked vessels represented a risk to “children, citizens, soldiers, and allies” of the US empire. This demonstrates their use of the drug war as merely a banner to attack foreign nations at their convenience.
Analysts in Venezuela consider that although the US imperial senate rejected the Democrats’ proposal, the vote highlighted the lack of unanimity. They emphasize that the split decision represents a major defeat for Trump and for the Venezuelan far-right, which is pushing for a US colonial invasion.
Mainstream media reports that Qatar has offered to be a mediator between the US empire and Venezuela, attempting to keep the diplomatic channel alive. The emirate previously acted as a mediator in talks during the Biden administration as well.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/AU
