EU urges 'restraint', respect for international law in Venezuela; China and Russia alarmed by Maduro's capture
Countries such as Russia and Iran, which had longstanding ties with Maduro's government, were quick to condemn the US operation.
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) called for "restraint" and respect for international law in Venezuela on Saturday (Jan 3) after President Donald Trump announced US forces had captured leader Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale assault.
"The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition" in Venezuela, the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote on X after speaking with her US counterpart Marco Rubio.
"Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint," she wrote.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa echoed the message.
"We stand by the people of Venezuela and support a peaceful and democratic transition. Any solution must respect international law and the UN Charter," von der Leyen said on social media.
Costa said he was following developments in Venezuela "with great concern", adding that "the EU calls for de-escalation".
Kallas said the EU was closely monitoring the fast-moving situation and that she had spoken to the bloc's envoy to Venezuela, with the safety of EU citizens "our top priority".
The EU has not recognised the results of the disputed 2024 election that handed Maduro a third term in power, and has slapped sanctions on dozens of Venezuelan officials for undermining democracy in the country.
The 27-nation bloc has stopped short, however, of formally recognising opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela's rightful leader, as the US has done.
France separately said the operation undermined international law and no solution to Venezuela's crisis can be imposed from the outside, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged patience in order to "establish the facts".
But in a rare expression of support for the US operation by a major European country, far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni - a Trump ally - argued the US military action in Venezuela was "legitimate" and "defensive".
Israel also hailed the operation, saying Washington acted as the "leader of the free world".
Ukraine - dependent on US support in its war against invading Russia - did not address the legality of a big country like America using military force against a much smaller one like Venezuela.
Trump said Maduro and his wife would be taken to New York to face federal charges after military strikes and an operation which he described as looking like a "television show".
Countries such as Russia and Iran, which had longstanding ties with Maduro's government, were quick to condemn the operation.
Russia demanded the US leadership "reconsider its position and release the legally elected president of the sovereign country and his wife".
China said it is "deeply shocked and strongly condemns the US's blatant use of force against a sovereign state and its action against its president".
Iran, which Trump bombed last year, said it "strongly condemns the US military attack on Venezuela and a flagrant violation of the country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity".
Foreign minister Andriy Sybiga instead focused on Maduro's lack of legitimacy and the Venezuelan government's repression, while backing "democracy, human rights, and the interests of Venezuelans".
Condemnation of the US intervention in Venezuela was also strong across Latin America. Mexico, which Trump has also threatened with military force over drug trafficking, strongly condemned the US military action in Venezuela, saying it "seriously jeopardises regional stability".
Colombian President Gustavo Petro - whose country neighbours Venezuela - called the US action an "assault on the sovereignty" of Latin America, which would lead to a humanitarian crisis.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slammed the US attacks as a "serious affront" to Venezuela's sovereignty, while Cuba, a strong ally of Venezuela's, denounced "state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people".
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres added that he was "deeply alarmed" by the US strikes, with his spokesman quoting him as saying it could "constitute a dangerous precedent".
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app