,,iii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #ehb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,janu>y #ac1 #bjbf,mr4
 ,cornyn 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,cruz1 & ,mr4 
,cram]7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2   
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign  
,relations  ,,resolution  ,express+ !   
s5se ( ! ,s5ate 9 support ( ,op]ation   
,absolute ,resolve4  ,:]eas1 betwe5     
#bjjj & #bjac1 ,nicols ,maduro s]v$ 9   
v>i\s (fices 9 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,v5ezuela1 
includ+ 9 ! ,national ,assembly1 z      
,m9i/] ( ,=eign ,affairs1 & z ,vice     
,presid5t2 ,:]eas1 on ,april #ad1 #bjac1
 ,nicols ,maduro came to occupy ! (fice 
( ,presid5t ( ,v5ezuela foll[+ ! dea? ( 
=m] ,v5ezuelan ,presid5t ,hugo ,*vez1 & 
lat] ?r\gh an election t 0 m>r$ by      
irregul>ities2 ,:]eas1 on ,may #bj1     
#bjah1 ,nicols ,maduro decl>$ victory 9 
a fraudul5t presid5tial election 9 :i*  
major opposition p>ties & lead]s 7 bann$
 f p>ticipat+ & ( :i* m ?an #ej         
c\ntries1 includ+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates1      
refus$ to recognize ! results2 ,:]eas1  

on ,janu>y #bc1 #bjai1 ! ,national      
,assembly ( ,v5ezuela refus$ to         
recognize ,nicols ,maduro z ,presid5t ( 
,v5ezuela & nam$1 z ! ,int]im ,presid5t 
( ,v5ezuela1 ,juan ,guaid1 :o 0 s       
recogniz$ by ! ,unit$ ,/ates & m ?an #bc
 o!r c\ntries2 ,:]eas1 on ,july #bh1    
#bjbd1 ,nicols ,maduro decl>$ victory 9 
a second fraudul5t presid5tial election1
 ! results ( :i* 7 n recogniz$ by m ?an 
#ej c\ntries1 includ+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 !
 ,european ,union1 & num]\s ,lat9       
,am]ican & ,c>ibbean nations2 ,:]eas1 on
 ,janu>y #aj1 #bjbe1 ,nicols ,maduro    
held an illegitimate presid5tial        
inauguration 9 ,v5ezuela1 :i* 0 condemn$
 by ! ,gov]nm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2      
,:]eas1 accord+ to a ,m>* #bjbj e/imate 
by ! ,gov]nm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 "u    
,nicols ,maduro1 ,v5ezuela 0 a major    
transit c\ntry = coca9e %ipm5ts to !    
,unit$ ,/ates1 ,s\? ,am]ica1 & ,europe1 
acc\nt+ = #bjj to #bej metric tons      
annually 7or #aj to #ac p]c5t ( !       
e/imat$ global production ( coca9e72    

,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate f\nd t !     
,maduro regime fail$ to make any        
mean+ful ef=ts to /em drug production or
 traffick+ & 9 fact creat$ conditions t 
all[ drug traffick]s & o!r transnational
 crim9al organizations 7,t,c,os7 to     
op]ate ) impunity2 ,:]eas drug traffick+
 9 ,v5ezuela enri*$ & emp[]$ ! family ( 
,nicols ,maduro1 includ+ 8 wife1 ,cilia 
,flores1 :o took bribes to ensure safe  
passage ( traffick$ coca9e1 & 8 son1    
,nicols ,erne/o ,maduro ,gu]ra1 :o all[$
 /ate assets to be us$ 9 drug traffick+2
 ,:]eas ! ,crtel de los ,soles is a     
,v5ezuelan drug traffick+ organization  
compris$ ( high-rank+ ,v5ezuelan        
(ficials :o abus$ _! positions 9 !      
,v5ezuelan gov]nm5t & milit>y to flood !
 ,unit$ ,/ates ) coca9e & h>m ,am]icans2
 ,:]eas1 effective ,novemb] #bd1 #bjbe1 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate designat$ ! ,crtel  
de los ,soles z a =eign t]rori/         
organization2 ,:]eas ,nicols ,maduro    
help$ manage & ultimately l$ ! ,crtel de
 los ,soles z he rose to p[] 9          

,v5ezuela2 ,:]eas ,tr5 de ,aragua is a  
transnational crim9al organization1     
orig9at+ 9 ,v5ezuela1 :i* engages 9 mass
 illegal migration to ! ,unit$ ,/ates & 
commits brutal crimes1 includ+ murd]1   
kidnapp+1 extortion1 & human1 drug1 &   
weapons traffick+1 ) ! objective ( h>m+ 
,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s2 ,:]eas num]\s    
memb]s & lead]s ( ,tr5 de ,aragua h be5 
indict$ on murd]-=-hire1 drug traffick+1
 fire>ms1 & o!r (f5ses )9 ! ,unit$      
,/ates2 ,:]eas1 effective ,febru>y #bj1 
#bjbe1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate designat$    
,tr5 de ,aragua z a =eign t]rori/       
organization2 ,:]eas ,tr5 de ,aragua    
coord9at$ )1 & op]at$ 9 conjunction )1 !
 ,maduro-l$ ,crtel de los ,soles to     
flood ! ,unit$ ,/ates ) coca9e2 ,:]eas !
 ,revolution>y ,=ces ( ,colombia 7,,f>c7
 & its successor organizations1 !       
,revolution>y ,arm$ ,=ces (             
,colombia--,p's ,army 7,,f>c-,,ep7 &    
,segunda ,m>quetalia & ! ,national      
,lib]ation ,army 7,,eln71 control drug  
traffick+ r\tes 9 ! bord] region betwe5 

,v5ezuela & ,colombia2 ,:]eas ! ,,f>c 0 
designat$ z a =eign t]rori/ organization
 on ,octob] #h1 #aiig1 prior to its     
dissolution1 its successor              
organizations1 ! ,,f>c-,,ep & ,segunda  
,m>quetalia1 h be5 designat$ z =eign    
t]rori/ organizations s9ce ,novemb] #cj1
 #bjba1 & ! ,,eln has be5 designat$ z a 
=eign t]rori/ organization s9ce ,octob] 
#h1 #aiig2 ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate   
f\nd ! ,,f>c1 ,,f>c-,,ep1 & ,,eln       
ma9ta9$ close ties to ! de facto        
au?orities ( ,v5ezuela & ,maduro cont9u$
 to give safe hav5 to ^! organizations2 
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates has impos$       
individual1 f9ancial1 & sectoral        
sanctions on ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,v5ezuela1 ! 
,maduro regime1 & its support]s1 includ+
 by-- 7#a7 prohibit+ ! ,gov]nm5t (      
,v5ezuela f access+ ,unit$ ,/ates       
f9ancial m>kets beg9n+ on ,augu/ #bd1   
#bjag2  7#b7 e/abli%+ a framework on    
,novemb] #a1 #bjah1 to block ! assets ( 
! ,gov]nm5t ( ,v5ezuela 9 ! ,unit$      
,/ates 9 c]ta9 economic sectors2  7#c7  

g5]ally freez+ ! assets ( ! ,gov]nm5t ( 
,v5ezuela 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates beg9n+ on   
,augu/ #e1 #bjai2  7#d7 impos+ ,(fice ( 
,=eign ,assets ,control sanctions on    
,septemb] #ab1 #bjbd1 & ,janu>y #aj1    
#bjbe1 on num]\s ,v5ezuelan (ficials :o 
enabl$ ,maduro to ma9ta9 p[] despite 8  
#bjbd election defeat2  7#e7 impos+     
,(fice ( ,=eign ,assets ,control        
sanctions on ,decemb] #aa1 #bjbe1 on    
nephews ( ,cilia ,flores & o!rs :o      
engag$ 9 deceptive & unsafe oil-%ipp+   
practices to provide f9ancial res\rces  
to support ! ,maduro regime2 &  7#f7    
impos+ ,(fice ( ,=eign ,assets ,control 
sanctions on ,decemb] #ai1 #bjbe1 on    
sev]al additional family memb]s &       
associates ( ,nicols ,maduro & ,cilia   
,flores = be+ complicit 91 or directly  
engag+ 91 transactions t support$ !     
,maduro regime2 ,:]eas1 on ,june #aa1   
#bjbb1 ,nicols ,maduro sign$ a #bj-ye>  
coop]ation agreem5t ) ! ,gov]nm5t ( !   
,islamic ,republic ( ,iran design$ to   
resi/ global sanctions aga9/ ! #b       

regimes2 ,:]eas ,iran's t]rori/ proxy1  
,lebanese ,hezbollah1 :i* has f\nd safe 
hav5 9 ,v5ezuela1 engages 9 drug        
traffick+1 money laund]+1 & illicit     
smuggl+ to fund its t]rori/ activities  
ar\nd ! _w2 ,:]eas ! ,maduro regime 0   
support$ by ,lebanese ,hezbollah z a hub
 = transnational organiz$ crime &       
int]national t]rorism 9 ! ,we/]n        
,hemisph]e2 ,:]eas1 beg9n+ 9 #bjjf1 !   
,secret>y ( ,/ate has annually det]m9$ t
 ,v5ezuela has fail$ to comply ) ! fir/ 
section #dj;,a ( ! ,arms ,export        
,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgha71 :i*
 requires full coop]ation ) ,unit$      
,/ates antit]rorism ef=ts2 ,:]eas ! ,p's
 ,republic ( ,*9a & ! ,*9ese ,communi/  
,p>ty provid$ critical support to emp[] 
! ,maduro regime to /ay 9 p[] 9         
,v5ezuela ?r\gh ! sale ( ,*9ese milit>y 
rad>1 riot control vehicles1 & digital  
tools to control ! ,v5ezuelan p's access
 to in=mation2 ,:]eas ! ,russian        
,f$]ation help$ ! ,maduro regime evade  
,unit$ ,/ates sanctions1 includ+ ?r\gh  

subsidi>ies ( ! ,russian /ate-controll$ 
,rosneft ,oil ,company1 :i* brok]$ !    
sale & transport ( ,v5ezuelan crude oil 
9 #bjbj2 ,:]eas ! ,russian ,f$]ation bo?
 provid$ milit>y equipm5t & s5t its     
milit>y p]sonnel to l5d support to !    
,maduro regime 9 an ef=t to increase its
 footpr9t 9 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e2 ,:]eas 
! ,novemb] #bjbe ,national ,security    
,/rategy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ( ,am]ica    
/ates1 ,we w d5y non-,hemisph]ic        
competitors ! ability to position =ces  
or o!r ?reat5+ capabilities1 or to own  
or control /rategically vital assets1 9 
our ,hemisph]e2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjbj1 ,nicols
 ,maduro1 ,cilia ,flores1 & o!r ,maduro 
regime (ficials 7 indict$ 9 ! ,s\!rn    
,di/rict ( ,new ,york on *>ges includ+  
n>co-t]rorism1 conspiracy to import     
coca9e1 & possession ( ma*9e guns &     
de/ructive devices2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjbe1 a  
sup]s$+ indictm5t 0 fil$ 9 ! ,s\!rn     
,di/rict ( ,new ,york & bo? ,nicols     
,maduro & ,cilia ,flores rema9 "u       
indictm5t & w h to answ] = _! crimes 9 a

 c\rt ( law2 ,:]eas ,presid5t ,trump    
(f]$ multiple diplomatic (f-ramps1 b 0  
repeat$ly rebuff$ by ,nicols ,maduro2   
,:]eas1 on ,janu>y #c1 #bjbf1 ! ,unit$  
,/ates milit>y1 9 coop]ation ) !        
intellig5ce community & law en=cem5t    
ag5cies1 c>ri$ out ,op]ation ,absolute  
,resolve1 a meticul\sly plann$ op]ation 
result+ 9 ! successful capture ( ,nicols
 ,maduro & 8 wife1 ,cilia ,flores2 &    
,:]eas ,op]ation ,absolute ,resolve     
precisely t>get$ & neutraliz$ ,v5ezuelan
 air def5ses & ! ,cuban intellig5ce     
ag5ts responsible = ,maduro's p]sonal   
protection1 demon/rat+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates  
milit>y's sup]ior capabilities          
integration & pr(essionalism3 ,n[1      
!re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 supports 
,presid5t ,trump's decisive milit>y &   
law en=cem5t ef=t "u ,op]ation ,absolute
 ,resolve to arre/ ,nicols ,maduro & br+
 him to ju/ice2  7#b7 comm5ds ! ,trump  
,adm9i/ration = tak+ resolute action &  
praises ! brav]y & gallantry ( ,unit$   
,/ates s]vicememb]s & law en=cem5t      

(fic]s :o p>ticipat$ 9 ,op]ation        
,absolute ,resolve2 &  7#c7 supports    
,presid5t ,trump's ef=ts to assi/ !     
,v5ezuelan p 9 _! fight = fre$om4