China Condemns U.S. Actions Following Maduro’s Arrest
China’s Foreign Ministry expressed strong disapproval on Saturday regarding the U.S. law enforcement actions in Caracas that led to the apprehension of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s long-standing leader. Maduro’s recent public appearance had been alongside a top Chinese diplomat.
President Donald Trump announced on the same day that U.S. forces had entered Venezuela with the intent to arrest Maduro and his wife, Syria Flores, on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and terrorism support. Law enforcement in the U.S. and various Latin American nations have identified Maduro as the head of the Cartel de los Soles, an international cocaine trafficking network tied to the Venezuelan military. Furthermore, he has allegedly aided terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and helped state sponsors of terrorism, such as Cuba, broaden their influence in the region.
The Chinese Communist Party has been a vocal supporter of Maduro’s regime and reportedly benefited from substantial purchases of sanctioned Venezuelan oil. Just days prior, several Chinese companies were accused by the U.S. Treasury of profiting from the illicit oil trade.
Despite Chinese officials being in Caracas, they made no efforts to defend Maduro, instead opting to issue statements expressing concern through the Foreign Ministry.
The Ministry stated, “China is deeply shocked by the United States’ blatant use of force against a sovereign nation and its actions against the president, and strongly condemns it.” It further asserted that such actions violate international law and threaten the peace and stability of Latin America and the Caribbean. “China firmly opposes them,” the statement concluded.
However, it’s worth noting that Nicolás Maduro has not truly been the president of Venezuela since 2018, when he engineered a fraudulent election, prompting the National Assembly to declare the democratic order nonviable and to designate Juan Guaido as interim president. Though recognized constitutionally, Guaido was unable to exert authority and was removed from office in 2022. Additionally, Maduro held another contested election in 2024, losing to former diplomat Edmundo González, though the socialist government claimed he had won without providing substantiating evidence. González, along with support from popular former lawmaker María Colina Machado, documented local results showing Maduro’s significant loss.
The illegitimacy of Maduro’s regime has become increasingly obvious. On Saturday, Chinese state media confirmed his capture and described U.S. actions as reckless and violating international norms. Experts caution that the U.S. goals could be seen as a dangerous pursuit, as capturing a sitting head of state in such a manner is both unusual and potentially perilous.
Another scholar suggested that this may represent a kind of revival of an old Monroe Doctrine narrative, which historically has warned against foreign interference in the Western Hemisphere. Yet, President Trump hinted at U.S. oil companies’ intention to work in Venezuela, suggesting a chance to modernize an oil infrastructure crippled by decades of socialism and mismanagement.
The tensions seemed to escalate after a warm meeting between Maduro and Kui Xiaoqi, a special envoy from China, just a day prior. Maduro remarked on social media about their fruitful discussion, emphasizing a commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership.
The announcement of Maduro’s arrest, which Trump characterized as part of a sweeping military operation in Caracas, indicated that Maduro and his wife attempted to elude capture but were apprehended before they could escape.
Trump shared in a later conference that he was confident issues with China over the oil situation could be resolved, stressing his strong rapport with President Xi and optimism that the oil resources would be accessed to help the Venezuelan people.
