US Vice President J.D. Vance•©️picture : The New York Times
Washington, 16 January 2026.- In a climate of strong tensions between Washington and Caracas, the US Senate has narrowly rejected a resolution to limit President Donald Trump's military power against Venezuela. On Wednesday, 14 January, senators voted by 51 votes to 50 to reject this text, which would have required the approval of Congress before any military action against Venezuela. Vice-President J.D. Vance decided in the event of a tie.
The resolution was based on the War Powers Act and sought to compel Donald Trump to obtain permission from Congress before any new military action against Venezuela. It intervened after several US operations qualified as « Security » on Venezuelan territory in January 2026. Caracas denounced these interventions as a « aggression » and a violation of its sovereignty, while several countries in the region called for de-escalation.
Despite initial bipartisan support, last minute shifts within the Republican camp have weakened the resolution. This rejection confirms the difficulty of Congress in regulating the use of force by the US executive. President Trump thus retains wide freedom of military action against Venezuela, relaunching the debate on the balance of powers between the executive and the legislature.
R.J. with Reuters
