President Trump’s pledge that the United States would “run” Venezuela for an indefinite period showed he is willing to enter foreign conflicts he once promised to end.
Opponents of the U.S. intervention in Venezuela called it illegal and warned of a widening war. Supporters celebrated an authoritarian president’s fall.
The operation revives disputes over the legality of the 1989 Panama intervention, enhanced by President Trump’s vow to “run” Venezuela and Nicolás Maduro’s formal status as president.
As the armed civilian groups often used to suppress protests kept a low profile, the role they might play in the country’s new situation remained unclear.
Operating largely from the shadows, Ms. Flores, the first lady of Venezuela, helped consolidate Mr. Maduro’s rule while controlling the judiciary and amassing wealth through corruption, experts say.
Some of the nation’s most influential Democrats condemned the move as unjustified and argued that the president was trying to distract from his domestic challenges.
Democrats raised constitutional concerns and said the Trump administration had misrepresented its goals in Venezuela, while most Republicans cheered the action.
The interim leader is known for hewing to left-wing ideals, facing sanctions by the U.S. and European Union and building bridges with Venezuela’s business community.