International Leaders React to U.S. Detention of Venezuelan President
On Saturday, numerous world leaders expressed concerns regarding a covert U.S. operation aimed at detaining Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, claiming it to be an unnecessary use of force, despite established legal precedents.
Countries such as Russia, Iran, China, and Colombia voiced their demands for the Trump administration to release Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, who are en route to New York to face federal narcoterrorism charges.
“Given the reports confirming that Nicolás Maduro and his spouse are in the United States, we appeal for the U.S. leadership to reconsider its stance and release the legitimate president of a sovereign state and his spouse,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
They emphasized the necessity for a dialogue to resolve the ongoing issues between the U.S. and Venezuela.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres shared in a statement that he was “deeply alarmed” by the U.S. military’s actions, labeling the operation as a “dangerous precedent” and suggesting that it may have breached international law.
The U.S. military’s operation was striking, deploying over 150 aircraft along with elite ground forces and significant air power to arrest Maduro, an initiative that began in August.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized Maduro as an illegitimate president, having been indicted by the U.S. back in 2020, calling him a “fugitive from justice.” According to Rubio, Maduro was “offered multiple very generous offers” to avoid being arrested but chose instead to “act like a wild man.”
This action finds support in legal precedents from as far back as 1989 when the U.S. military invaded Panama to capture dictator Manuel Noriega. A court ruling from that time upheld the military’s ability to forcibly remove someone from another country to face criminal charges.
While the arrest drew criticism from several leaders, some, such as Argentina’s President Javier Millei, celebrated it. Millei expressed his sentiments on social media with the phrase “La Libertad Avanza,” meaning “Freedom Forward.”
E.U. diplomat Kaja Kallas noted during a meeting with Rubio and other officials that the E.U. was “closely monitoring the situation” while reiterating that Maduro lacks legitimacy, although also calling for restraint, prioritizing the safety of E.U. nationals in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the U.S. actions, labeling them an “act of armed aggression against Venezuela,” and urged the United Nations Security Council to convene on the matter. They asserted that “Latin America must remain a zone of peace” and highlighted Venezuela’s right to determine its future without external military interference.
Additionally, China joined in the condemnation, calling the U.S. action a violation of sovereignty and expressing shock at the situation.
Venezuela is particularly crucial for Russia and China as an ally in South America. Maduro has been reinforcing ties with China, having met with a special envoy from Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss their alliances amid rising tensions with the U.S.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel labeled the arrests a “criminal American attack,” while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized it as a “grave insult” to Venezuela’s sovereignty.
