The US Senate has advanced a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorisation, paving the way for further consideration in the 100-member chamber.

The vote on a procedural measure to advance the war powers resolution was 52 to 47, as a handful of Trump’s fellow Republicans voted with every Democrat in favour of moving ahead.

The vote came days after US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a dramatic military raid in Caracas. Two previous attempts to advance similar resolutions were blocked in the Senate last year by Trump’s fellow Republicans, as the administration ramped up military pressure on Venezuela with attacks on boats in the southern Caribbean starting in September.

More to come…