On Saturday, Venezuela’s socialist government released a statement denouncing military actions against Iran, notably omitting any mention of the United States or Israel. However, the statement was soon deleted without clarification.
In an unusual move, Venezuelan officials criticized Iran’s “inappropriate and reprehensible retaliation” following a series of drone and missile strikes the country carried out against others. This marks the first time the Venezuelan regime has publicly criticized its long-time ideological ally since Nicolás Maduro’s presidency.
Media reports indicate that Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil was the first to announce the now-deleted statement. It expressed deep regret that “amid ongoing diplomatic efforts and negotiations, a military approach towards the Islamic Republic of Iran has been adopted.”
The statement uniquely avoided directly referencing the United States or Israel, asserting that military operations against Iran had instigated “a dangerous and unpredictable escalation of events in recent hours, including Iran’s inappropriate and reprehensible military retaliation across the region.”
“This situation, stemming from a disregard for diplomatic principles, the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the Charter of the United Nations, plunges the region and the world into a realm of extreme instability,” the document stated.
“Reports and images depicting attacks on civilian sites within Iran are deeply troubling, leading to casualties among innocent civilians, including children in primary schools,” the statement added.
Shortly after its posting, Foreign Minister Gil removed the statement from his social media accounts without explanation. Coverage was also expunged from Venezuelan state-run and regime-affiliated news outlets, including Telesur, which is heavily funded by the government.
At the time of this reporting, references to a now-deleted statement by Chinese state media and associates of the Cuban regime remained available. A Venezuelan journalist also published a copy of the statement.
The deleted document sharply contrasts with previous strongly pro-Iranian and anti-American remarks made by Venezuela’s socialist government during Nicolás Maduro’s rule. For instance, last year, following a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and missile facilities, Gil referred to the operations as “Israel’s criminal aggression against Iran.”
To date, the Venezuelan government has not publicly addressed the confirmed death of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, as reported by President Donald Trump on Saturday night.
Following the U.S. arrest of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, the current regime under “acting president” Delcy Rodriguez started cooperating with the United States. At a recent public gathering, Rodriguez referred to President Trump as a “friend” and “partner.”
