Americans are split on their view of the U.S. military action President Donald Trump took to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for trafficking illicit drugs and deadly substances into the United States. Between 33 and 40 percent of the American people believe the move was justified according to polls, while the rest oppose the move or are unsure.
Despite uncertainties about the military’s actions to capture Maduro, Americans largely support President Trumps’s move to bring Maduro to justice in New York City for narcotics crimes against the United States according to a new survey. About half the country believes the United States should put Maduro on trial for drug trafficking now that he has been brought to Manhattan.
The Washington Post released a survey on Jan. 5 showing 40 percent of Americans support President Trump’s move to send U.S. forces into Venezuela to capture Maduro, while 42 percent disapprove, and 18 percent are undecided. The Post found 74 percent of Republicans, as well as 34 percent of independents and 13 percent of Democrats support the move to capture Maduro.
When asked whether the U.S. should put Maduro on trial for drug trafficking, the Post found 50 percent of Americans support the move, while just 14 percent oppose it and 36 percent are undecided. A full 79 percent of Republicans, 42 percent of independents, and 29 percent of Democrats support putting Maduro on trial for facilitating drug trafficking into the U.S.
That said, Americans largely oppose taking control of the Venezuelan government, with the Post poll finding 45 percent of Americans oppose the U.S. taking control of Venezuela while 24 percent support the move and 30 percent are unsure. Just under half of Republicans (47 percent) support taking control of Venezuela according to the survey, while 18 percent of independents and nine percent of Democrats support the move.
A Reuters survey released Jan. 5 found similar results. The survey found one-in-three Americans support the U.S. military action to capture and remove Maduro, while 34 percent oppose the action and a third are unsure. Two-thirds (65 percent) of Republicans support the move to oust Maduro, while a quarter of independents (25 percent) and 11 percent of Democrats do.
As far as the oil sanctions President Trump enacted on Venezuela in mid-December, Americans are split on whether these sanctions are a good idea. The Economist/YouGov survey from Jan. 2-5 shows 36 percent of American support the U.S. military enforcing a complete blockade of oil tankers in and out of Venezuela, while 41 percent disapprove of the move. 69 percent of Republicans, 27 percent of independents, and 14 percent of Democrats support a blockade on Venezuelan oil.
The Economist/YouGov survey also finds 32 percent of Americans support President Trump’s handling of Venezuela, while 49 percent disapprove. 68 percent of Republicans, 24 percent of independents and six percent of Democrats approve of President Trump’s handling of Venezuela, according to the survey.
As for whether U.S. intervention in Venezuela will drive the necessary change to stem the flow of illicit substances into the United States, Americans are split. A YouGov survey from Jan. 4 finds 34 percent of Americans think U.S. military intervention will improve the situation in Venezuela, while 35 percent believe U.S. intervention will worsen the situation, and 22 percent aren’t sure.
On larger intervention, 44 percent of Americans say the U.S. should take an active part in world affairs according to YouGov, while 31 percent believe the U.S. should stay out of foreign affairs and 25 percent aren’t sure. Democrats believe the U.S. should take an active role in world affairs by six points, 41 percent to 35 percent, and Republicans believe the U.S. should take an active role by 36 points, 57 percent to 21 percent. Independents say by three points, 37 percent to 34 percent, the U.S. should stay out of foreign affairs.
As for where the U.S. goes from here, as Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano pointed out Monday, the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela — yet. President Trump captured Maduro and brought him to the United States to face justice for his role in trafficking drugs to Americans. While Americans have mixed views of President Trump’s move to capture Maduro using the U.S. military, the American people largely support bringing Modero to justice now that he is in U.S. custody.
Manzanita Miller is the senior political analyst at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
