On Wednesday, the Press asked readers to share their perspectives on the situation between the U.S. and Venezuela.

The response was overwhelming, with nearly 500 people commenting.

Here’s what some Press readers had to say:  

“It was good for us but more importantly good for Venezuela,” wrote Terry Malm of Coeur d’Alene. “Not just from a prosperity standpoint but more importantly, a security standpoint for both countries; Maduro, besides being an iron fist dictator, he also had allowed our adversaries to roam free in our backyard; and of course, the pipeline of drugs. Shocked it took this long.” 

“No one is arguing that Maduro (isn’t) a bad guy,” wrote Lisa Aurora of Coeur d’Alene. “But the way we went about arresting him was wrong. We have a constitution and a Congress that is being ignored ... gas prices are lower now, but it has nothing to do with oil in Venezuela.” 

“I think as an American citizen I’m gauging it from how Venezuelans are reacting. They seem happy,” wrote Melissa Maree. “(Maduro) wasn’t duly elected. He was a dictator, or as some would call a ‘king.’ I thought we just protested about ‘No Kings,’ but now we’re upset about a drug king being held accountable.” 

“According to the national news, U.S. citizens are overwhelmingly upset about the situation,” wrote Cody Huckins of Athol. “The people of Venezuela, on the other hand, were dancing in the street. So, I ask: why are we upset when the people actually affected by it are celebrating?” 

“As a Venezuelan ... (Trump) did what he had to,” wrote Jesus Noria of Athol. “Peace through strength. Many times, we asked the international community to enforce Venezuelan regime, what they did? Nothing ... and at last (on) Jan. 3 the U.S. showed them that the U.S. don’t play games."

“I think we should focus on America and quit policing the world,” wrote Jesse Nielsen.

“I think it sets a dangerous precedent,” wrote Jennifer Hardie-Reiter of Coeur d’Alene. “Gives ‘permission’ to use any excuse to go into another country and capture and jail their president. I understand he was a bad guy, but that’s not our problem.”

“Trump is doing what we voted him in to do,” wrote Mitzi McDaniel. 

Early national polling is showing mixed reactions to the U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey published Jan. 5 found that one in three Americans approves of the operation, part of a broader effort to bring Maduro to the U.S. to face criminal charges related to drug trafficking and other offenses.  

However, 72% of the nearly 1,300 respondents also expressed concern that the U.S. will “become too involved in the South American country,” Reuters reported.  

The global news agency also found that 65% of surveyed Republicans back the operation, a significantly higher number compared to 11% of Democrats and 23% of independent voters.