A global piracy for all to see

Finally, the Democrats should escalate political and electoral pressure by coordinating messaging, censuring resolutions, and pledging to condition future confirmations and treaties on the rollback of Venezuela policies and the restoration of congressional war powers.

The public must sound the alarm

The American public has a pivotal role to play in stopping Trump from further escalating the operation in Venezuela and even reversing it.

The American public should organize sustained, nonviolent protests, marches, and vigils explicitly demanding an end to the Venezuela operation and opposing US occupation or control of Venezuelan oil. Additionally, members of Congress should be flooded with calls, letters, district office visits, and town-hall pressure demanding votes to terminate hostilities.

Concerted effort should be made to support amplifying veterans', military families', and Venezuelan diaspora voices in media, op-eds, local forums, and social platforms to frame the war as immoral, illegal, and strategically disastrous. Likewise, channeling donations, volunteering, and forming antiwar coalitions that can organize lobby days, legal challenges, and national days of action against the intervention are critical.

Activists should leverage electoral power effectively by prioritizing anti-war candidates in primaries and general elections, and demand the resignation of local officials who are cheering on the invasion while pressuring city councils, universities, unions, and professional associations to pass resolutions condemning it.

Finally, I have a word or two for every federal, state and local Republican official who remains silent in the face of this travesty. Your silence is not patriotism; it is a betrayal of everything this great nation has stood for. Trump will sooner or later go, but you will have to live with shame for lacking the courage to take a stand when your country's future is hanging in the balance.