Chuck Schumer warns of possible military action in Cuba and Colombia
The senator expressed his alarm after meeting with Trump administration officials, and said he does not rule out further interventions following Maduro's capture
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed concern about the possibility that the Trump administration is considering new military operations in Latin America, specifically in countries like Cuba and Colombia.
Following a classified briefing at the Capitol, Schumer addressed the media with a With a somber expression, the legislator met with key figures in Trump's cabinet: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, known for his hardline stance against left-wing regimes, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The objective of the meeting was to clarify Washington's next steps following the January 3rd operation that ended with Maduro in a New York jail cell, and the White House's next steps in foreign policy.
“I specifically asked them if they weren't planning operations in other countries. I directly mentioned Colombia and Cuba. And I must say I was very disappointed by their response,” Schumer stated, suggesting that the officials' silence or ambiguity points to an agenda of military expansion in the region, but without detailing the specific content of the response received, and making his discontent clear.
Regional Tensions and Warnings from the White House
Schumer's statements come in a context of increasingly confrontational rhetoric from President Trump toward several Latin American governments. The president has issued public warnings to Colombian President Gustavo Petro, with whom he maintains a tense relationship and whom he has accused of being involved in drug trafficking in the region. On the same day as the operation in Venezuela, Trump stated that Petro should "watch his ass," a phrase that provoked immediate reactions in Bogota and calls to defend national sovereignty. In the case of Cuba,Trump recently asserted that Miguel Diaz-Canel's government "is about to collapse" due to a lack of revenue following the drop in Venezuelan oil supplies. "I don't know how they're going to be able to stay afloat," the president said, while suggesting that direct US action on the island would not be necessary, although his words did not allay concerns in Congress.
Congress seeks to halt "endless wars"
Faced with what they consider a dangerous trend, the Democratic caucus is preparing to fight back in the legislature. The Senate is expected to vote this Thursday on a resolution under the War Powers Act, seeking to limit the Executive's ability to act without congressional approval.
"Americans don't want any more endless wars, and it seems that's where Trump is headed," Senator Elizabeth Warren declared. Democrats plan to use their control of the federal budget, which expires on January 30, as leverage to curb any further military adventures in the Caribbean or South America.

