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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Colorado senators and representatives issued statements on January 3, following the US military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis released a full statement, where he celebrated the ouster of Maduro, but also raised a few concerns. Here is an excerpt from his statement:

“Today is a moment to celebrate the ouster of the brutal socialist dictator of Venezuela, who has cruelly impoverished this once-prosperous country that sits on greater oil wealth than Saudi Arabia.  I join our fellow Coloradans who have suffered so severely from this thug in calling for a democratic Venezuela where freedom and opportunity can again flourish. This is a time of great uncertainty, promise, and peril across dangerous political terrain as the regime’s Vice President and Minister of Interior seek to retain power with violence and repression. In July 2024, the people of Venezuela overwhelmingly elected as their president Unity Democratic Platform candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who succeeded the party’s candidate María Corina Machado after she was unlawfully disqualified from running.  Now is the time for President-elect González to receive the support he deserves from the U.S. in cooperation with the international community and the people of Venezuela to assume his rightful place and powers as president. Venezuelans deserve to determine their own future and select their own government. Today, I stand with the Venezuelan people in Colorado and in Venezuela.”

Gov. Polis’ full statement can be found below:

Colorado Senator Michael Bennet said that while Nicolás Maduro is a “brutal leader”, he raised concerns of how the operation was conducted. Here is an excerpt from his statement:

“As I have long said, Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate, brutal leader who lost, and then stole, the 2024 elections. Nevertheless, as a member of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, I have seen no evidence justifying the administration acting alone without Congressional authorization. I certainly have seen no justification for putting U.S. troops on the ground to ‘run the country’ or rebuild and exploit Venezuela’s oil infrastructure for our own economic purposes.”

Senator Bennet’s full statement is below:

Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper raised similar concerns to Bennet. Here is his full statement:

“In disregard for the Constitution, President Trump launched a war in Venezuela without congressional authorization. A president pursuing regime change abroad creates an unnecessary conflict and puts American service members directly in harm’s way. American families are already struggling. This escalation shows that the President is willing to go great lengths to distract from the serious problems not being addressed here at home.”

Representative Jeff Hurd, for the 3rd Congressional District, posted the following statement on his social media:

“The illegitimate Maduro regime has long fueled instability and criminal activity that harms the United States and our partners in the Western Hemisphere. Holding bad actors accountable matters.

I am grateful for the professionalism of our law enforcement, military, and intelligence personnel involved, and thankful that there are no reported casualties.At the same time, any continued U.S. military involvement must be narrowly defined, legally grounded, and coordinated with Congress. American strength abroad is reinforced by fidelity to the Constitution at home.

I will work closely with the President and my colleagues to ensure U.S. actions remain focused, lawful, and ensure dictators around the world know harm to America will never be tolerated."

Representative Brittany Pettersen, for the 7th Congressional District, released the following statement: