World leaders reacted to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States with a mixture of outrage, concern, and caution on Saturday.
President Donald Trump announced the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and a “large-scale” strike against Venezuela hours after explosions were reported in the country’s capital, Caracas.
The extraordinary attack follows months of pressure from the Trump Administration on Maduro to cede power in the South American country over long-standing accusations of drug trafficking and election rigging.
Read more: Venezuela Isn’t Panama—No Matter How Much Trump Wishes It Were
It represents the largest U.S. military operation in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, when, as today, the U.S. captured the country's leader, Manuel Antonio Noriega.
Many countries expressed outrage over the capture of Maduro on Saturday, while even some U.S. allies issued statements calling for the rule of law to be respected.
South American leaders in particular expressed anger at the attack.
Here is a round-up of global reaction to the operation.
United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wanted to speak to President Trump before making any firm statements either way about Maduro’s capture.
"I always say and believe we should uphold international law, but I think at this stage [in a] fast moving situation, let's establish the facts and take it from there,” he said in a statement to British broadcasters.
"I want to establish the facts first. I want to speak to President Trump,” he said. "I want to speak to allies. As I say I can be absolutely clear we were not involved in that."
Russia
Russia's Foreign Ministry said it is "extremely alarmed" and called for "immediate clarification", according to a statement posted on Saturday on the ministry's Telegram channel.
It added later in a post on X: “The US committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela, which gives rise to deep concern & warrants condemnation.”
“The pretexts used to justify these actions are untenable. Russia reaffirms its solidarity with the Venezuelan people,’ it continued in the post.
China
China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was "deeply shocked" by what it described as a "blatant use of force against a sovereign state and action against its president."
"Such hegemonic acts of the U.S. seriously violate international law and Venezuela's sovereignty and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean region," it said.
"China firmly opposes it. We call on the U.S. to abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and stop violating other countries’ sovereignty and security," the statement continued.
United Nations
The United Nations said it was "deeply alarmed" by the U.S. strikes and capture of Maduro, suggesting it could have violated international law.
"These developments constitute a dangerous precedent," Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, said in a statement.
"The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with today’s United States military action in the country, which has potential worrying implications for the region," she added.
"The Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect—by all—of international law, including the U.N. Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected," the statement continued
European Union
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X that she had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the EU ambassador in Caracas.
"The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition," she wrote. "Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint."
Mexico
In a statement on X, Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum, shared an excerpt from the United Nations Charter.
“The Members of the Organization, in their international relations, shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
Brazil
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned the capture of Maduro as crossing “an unacceptable line”.
“Attacking countries, in flagrant violation of international law, is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the strongest prevails over multilateralism,” Lula wrote on X.
“The international community, through the United Nations, needs to respond vigorously to this episode,” he added.
Colombia
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro condemned the U.S. operation in several posts on X.
“The Government of Colombia rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America,” he wrote.
“Internal conflicts between peoples are resolved by those same peoples in peace. That is the principle of the self-determination of peoples, which forms the foundation of the United Nations system,” Petro continued.
Denmark
Denmark, which has been on the receiving end of threats from the Trump Administration to take control of Greenland, issued a muted response to the operation.
"Dramatic development in Venezuela, which we are following closely. We need to get back on track toward de-escalation and dialogue. International law must be respected," Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wrote on X.
Spain
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for "de-escalation and responsibility.”
“International Law and the principles of the United Nations Charter must be respected," Mr Sanchez wrote on X.
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