Arkansas’s congressional leadership is speaking with a unified voice following a U.S. military operation in January 2026 that resulted in the capture of indicted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed strong support for the operation, calling Maduro an illegitimate dictator tied to large-scale drug trafficking. Cotton said the action demonstrates American resolve and commitment to protecting regional security and U.S. interests.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford described the event as a historic moment for the region, comparing it to the 1990 U.S. capture of Manuel Noriega. Crawford said the operation sends a clear message that the United States will not allow criminal networks or authoritarian regimes to destabilize neighboring countries.
Congressman French Hill (AR-02) also backed the operation, praising what he described as decisive leadership to restore democracy in Venezuela. Hill said removing Maduro ends years of repression against the Venezuelan people and allows an indicted narco-leader to face justice in the United States, while reinforcing long-standing U.S. policy in the Western Hemisphere.
All three Arkansas leaders praised the professionalism of U.S. military personnel involved and emphasized the importance of supporting a transition to a democratically elected and stable government in Venezuela.
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