Overview
- Republican backing for military action in Venezuela rose sharply, with 74% supporting a U.S. invasion in a Jan. 5–6 YouGov poll, up from 43% two weeks earlier, while 13% of Democrats expressed support.
- Views on the operation’s legality are polarized, as majorities of Democrats call it illegal under U.S. and international law and majorities of Republicans say it was legal under both.
- Perceived motives split by party, with oil access commonly cited overall and Republicans emphasizing drug trafficking prevention and removing corrupt leadership more than Democrats.
- A J.L. Partners/Daily Mail survey of 999 registered voters taken Jan. 5–6 found 43% favor the decision to capture Nicolás Maduro and 36% oppose it, with the rest undecided.
- Despite divisions over the raid, pluralities of Democrats and Republicans say Venezuela should hold a new election next, and large majorities prefer that Venezuelans choose their next leader.