Overview
- Delsi Rodríguez said she had a long, productive phone call with President Donald Trump conducted in a respectful atmosphere that addressed unresolved issues between the governments.
- Trump confirmed the conversation and said they discussed oil, minerals, trade and national security, asserting the United States is making progress helping Venezuela stabilize and recover.
- The Senate split 50–50 on a resolution to bar military action against Venezuela without Congressional authorization, and Vice President J.D. Vance cast the deciding vote to block it.
- The resolution, backed by Senators Tim Kaine, Rand Paul, Adam Schiff and Chuck Schumer, sought to reaffirm Congress’s sole power to declare war and to halt further unauthorized hostilities.
- Maduro and Cilia Flores remain detained in New York after denying U.S. narco-trafficking charges, Venezuela reports about 100 deaths from the January 3 operation, and Russia, China, North Korea and the U.N. rights office have criticized the U.S. action as violating international law.