Operation Southern Spear and Venezuela Conflict

After a Senate vote failed to constrain the White House’s Venezuela actions, Sen. Rand Paul said the ongoing U.S. seizures and redistribution of Venezuelan oil amount to an “active war.” His remarks come as the administration faces fallout from a military operation that captured Nicolás Maduro, plans to sell 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, disputed casualty figures and widespread legal and diplomatic challenges over whether the campaign is law‑enforcement or an act of war.