Mexico Condemns US Military Actions in Venezuela

The Mexican government has openly denounced the recent US military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, who faces drug trafficking allegations. Mexico has also called on the United Nations to get involved.

In a prepared statement, President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that the Mexican government “condemns and strongly rejects” the US military’s actions, labeling them as a violation of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.

This announcement followed U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s declaration that a successful mission had taken place to capture Maduro. The Venezuelan leader is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for various drug trafficking charges.

In a related comment, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted that Maduro was not a legitimate president but rather the head of a criminal organization known as Cartel de los Soles, which, according to him, had effectively seized control of Venezuela.

The Mexican administration has urged an end to hostilities against Venezuela, stressing the importance of maintaining peace in Latin America and warning that any aggression could threaten regional stability.

“Mexico strongly reiterates that dialogue and negotiation are the only legitimate and effective ways to resolve existing differences,” the government stated.

Mexico’s condemnation of Maduro’s arrest echoes previous denunciations made after other significant drug lord arrests by the U.S. For instance, in 2024, then-President Andres Manuel López Obrador criticized the capture of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a Sinaloa cartel kingpin, saying that his capture was handled through betrayal by a rival faction. This led the Mexican government to initiate investigations into the circumstances surrounding El Mayo’s arrest.