The US Senate voted Thursday in favor of considering a resolution aimed at restricting the president's powers. Donald Trump to launch new military actions against Venezuela without congressional approval, marking a rare setback for the White House on foreign policy issues.
The procedural motion, adopted by a vote of 52 to 47, allows the Senate to begin an in-depth debate on the so-called "war powers" resolution. All Democrats supported the text, joined by a handful of Republican senators, thus breaking ranks with the president.
This initiative comes just days after the spectacular capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces during a military raid in Caracas, an operation that has revived fears of a prolonged and potentially costly US involvement in Latin America.
Two similar attempts had already been blocked in the Senate last year, by only two votes, as the Trump administration increased military pressure on Venezuela, including naval operations and seizures of oil tankers in the southern Caribbean from September.
Supporters of the resolution believe that Congress must regain control over any major military escalation, in accordance with the U.S. Constitution. The White House, for its part, defends the president's actions by invoking national security and the fight against drug trafficking.
The final adoption of the text remains uncertain, however, as Republicans retain a decisive influence on the rest of the legislative process.
