Kamala Harris has made several public comments about Venezuela, most recently criticizing Donald Trump’s latest military operation and broader intervention there. Her remarks mix condemnation of Nicolás Maduro’s regime with opposition to Trump’s tactics and motives.

Her recent comments (2026)

In early 2026, after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in “Operation Absolute Resolve,” Harris condemned the move as both “unlawful” and “unwise.” She argued that, even though Maduro is a “brutal” and “illegitimate” dictator, Trump’s operation “does not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.”

Key points she made about the operation included:

  • It risks becoming another regime‑change venture that destabilizes the region and puts American lives at risk.
  • It is “not about drugs or democracy” but “about oil” and Trump’s desire to act as a “regional strongman.”
  • The American public, she said, is tired of being “lied to” about the real motives behind such interventions.

Some coverage summarized her stance as rejecting Trump’s Venezuela intervention as driven by “oil and ego” rather than genuine security or pro‑democracy goals.

What she’s said about Venezuela more broadly

Harris has also taken positions on the Venezuelan crisis beyond this latest episode.

  • In a 2019 post that resurfaced after her new statement, she described what was happening in Venezuela as a “crisis” and said people fleeing Maduro’s “dictatorial regime” deserve safety and protection, pledging support for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans.
  • In 2024 commentary on Venezuelan elections, she emphasized that “the will of the Venezuelan people must be respected,” drawing criticism from some who found her message “unclear” or “shameful” in its treatment of the contested vote.

Overall, her position combines strong criticism of Maduro’s authoritarian rule with opposition to what she portrays as reckless, oil‑driven U.S. interventionism under Trump.

TL;DR: Harris says Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator and calls the situation in Venezuela a crisis, but she also condemns Trump’s latest military move there as “unlawful,” “unwise,” and driven by oil and ego rather than U.S. security or democracy.