A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced a resolution aimed at restricting President Donald Trump from carrying out military operations without congressional approval and preventing a military offensive against Venezuela.

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The initiative seeks to reaffirm the constitutional limits of executive power and curb Washington’s military expansion in the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

The document was promoted by Democrats Tim Kaine and Adam Schiff, along with Republican Rand Paul, who agreed that the use of military force must have prior legislative authorization.

The resolution was introduced by Kaine on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 16, which will force the Senate to debate the legislation after a 10-day waiting period. The senator recalled that the U.S. Constitution reserves to Congress the exclusive power to declare war, while the president can only authorize armed actions of a limited nature or immediate defense.

The resolution also refers to the alleged covert operations of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Venezuelan territory, mentioned in recent statements by President Donald Trump.

Kaine stressed that “Congress has not given the green light to any secret action” and warned of the risks of a regional conflict if the Executive continues to act outside the law.

“I am deeply concerned that the Trump Administration is considering launching illegal military strikes in Venezuela without specific authorization from Congress. Americans don’t want to send their sons and daughters to more wars,” Kaine said.

For his part, Adam Schiff said Congress must “restore its constitutional role in the face of an executive that has overstepped its limits in foreign policy.”

According to reports released by international agencies, at least five attacks carried out by U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea in recent months have left 27 fatalities, including non-combatant civilians.

The Venezuelan government denounced the events before the UN Security Council, requesting a determination on the illegality of the U.S. operations, which it described as “extrajudicial executions” and violations of international humanitarian law

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