Global reaction to US strikes in Venezuela includes condemnation, concern for foreigners
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International leaders responded quickly Saturday morning as President Trump confirmed US troops invade Venezuela and announced the capture of the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife.
Many of America’s enemies, including close neighbors Venezuela, have condemned the strikes, while other governments around the world have called for them to be scaled back and expressed concern for their citizens living in the Latin American country.
The Latin American response
Colombia, which shares a border with Venezuela, has called for an emergency landing. It said it “implemented measures to protect civilians, maintain stability along the Colombian-Venezuelan border, and quickly address any humanitarian or displacement needs.”
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel called the operation a “criminal US attack.” He said the country condemned the attack and called for “an URGENT response from the international community.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the US action an “insult” to Venezuela’s sovereignty, AFP news agency reported. He said the strikes and Maduro’s arrest “crossed an unacceptable line” and threatened “the preservation of the region as a place of peace,” according to French news agency AFP.
China says it wants Maduro released immediately
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it “asks the US to ensure the safety of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, release them immediately, (and) stop overthrowing the government of Venezuela,” according to AFP.
Beijing also characterized the US strike against Maduro as a “flagrant violation of international law.”
Early on Saturday, China said it was “strongly critical” of the US action.
Iran and Russia condemn the US action in Venezuela
Iran also condemned the attack, calling it a “clear violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Venezuela, AFP reported. Mr. Trump recently respond to reports that at least eight people were killed inside almost a week of escalating protests in Iran by warning the Middle Eastern country that the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the US of “an act of aggression against Venezuela. This is deeply worrying and condemnable” in a statement, according to Reuters news agency.
“The excuses used to justify actions like this are baseless. Ideological hostility has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build relationships based on trust and predictability,” the statement said. “In the current situation, it is important, first of all, to prevent further escalation and focus on finding a way out of the situation through dialogue.”
The Russian government asked that Venezuela “be guaranteed the right to decide its future without harm, not to mention military, external interference,” and supported other calls for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
European countries want to collapse, voice concerns about the people of Venezuela
The chief executive of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the EU ambassador in Caracas. He said the EU is “closely monitoring the situation” and noted that it has “repeatedly stated that Mr. Maduro has no legitimacy.”
“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected,” Kallas wrote. “We want to hold back. The safety of EU citizens in the country is our priority.”
European countries, including Italy and Belgium, have said that the safety of their citizens is their priority, and that they are monitoring the situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain issued a statement saying “decrease and moderation, and measures must be taken in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter,” according to Reuters.
The Spanish ministry added a request to help mediate “to find a peaceful and negotiated solution to the current crisis.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that all countries should “abide by international law” and added that “the UK is not involved in any way in this project.” He called for patience to “establish the facts.”
“I want to talk to President Trump, I want to talk to allies,” the British leader said in a briefing broadcast on UK television hours after the US attack. “I can clarify that we were not involved in that. And as you know, I always say and believe that we all have to respect international law.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement on Saturday that Maduro led Venezuela to disaster and noted that Germany, like many other countries, did not recognize his presidency after the last South American election.
Merz said the legal classification of the US intervention is “complex” and “we will take time” on the matter.
He said political instability must not arise in Venezuela now and it is important to ensure “an orderly transition to an elected government.”
Netanyahu praises Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Mr. Trump for his “courageous and historic leadership in the name of freedom and justice.”
“I salute your determination and the good deed of your brave soldiers,” he wrote on social media.
