Politics and views in the United States.

Americans are reacting to military operations in oil-rich Venezuela, and wondering what comes next. Maryland prepares for a political battle over redistricting and the now former NYC mayor vetoes a bill designed to lower rents.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

It wasn't necessary because this is not an invasion.

We didn't occupy a country.

This was an arrest operation.

This is a law enforcement operation.

He was arrested on the ground in Venezuela by FBI agents, read his rights and removed from the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is defending the legality of the military operation that brought Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to the US. congressional notification, special operations forces captured the unpopular dictator at a Caracas safe house.

Aircraft hit sites around the city, killing more than 40.

The US had previously moved a huge force of warships into the Caribbean, and struck nearly three dozen boats, killing more than 100.

President Donald Trump justified that as targeting drug smuggling, but says the US will now "run" Venezuela.

He says American oil companies will take over and revitalize the country's big, but ailing petroleum industry.

Senate U.S. and international law and clearly violated the Constitution.

They did not just do ships off the water.

They went inside Venezuela, bombed civilian as well as military places, and it's a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress.

Maduro's vice president has taken power with the support of the nation's military.

Venezuela, like much of Latin America, deeply resents U.S. intervention.

Rubio says what happens there, including in the oil fields, will be dictated using the leverage of forces staying offshore, rather than by troops sent in as an occupation.

It is unclear if an unpopular and corrupt power structure left in place by Maduro's removal will resist.

In other news, Maryland state lawmakers are preparing for a showdown over redistricting at this year's session.

In response to the national gerrymandering arms race, Democratic Governor Wes Moore empowered a board to solicit new maps for the midterms.

But some in the party criticize that as undemocratic.

And Brenda Wintrode, politics reporter for the Baltimore Banner, says the state Senate the majority leader knows the party lost their court case on redistricting in 2022.

He fears a court challenge could perhaps make things worse off for Democrats in Maryland.

There are Republicans that are waiting in the wings for Democrats to do this.

They have already lawyered up and they're ready to go.

A similar Republican effort stalled in the Indiana State Senate.

New York City legislation aiming at helping renters was vetoed at the last minute by outgoing mayor Eric Adams.

The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act would have given nonprofits the first opportunity to buy certain multifamily buildings when a landlord sells.

Elena Rodriguez with the New Economy Project says real estate companies are buying buildings and leaving affordable units empty.

New York City can't allow the actions of a lame duck mayor acting to appease powerful real estate interests to override the will of the city council and the communities it represents.

This veto is not only an attack on urgently needed housing policy, it directly undermines the council's role as a democratic institution.

I'm Zimone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust syndicators at publicnewsservice.org.