World leaders reacted Saturday morning to President Donald Trump’s military strikes in Venezuela and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with some leaders condemning the attacks and others calling for de-escalation.
Early Saturday morning, Trump announced that the U.S. military “captured” Maduro following a special forces military operation in Caracas, the latest move from the administration against narco-terrorism.
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“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the attack has cost the lives of officials, military personnel, and civilians across the country.
Rodriguez said they are unaware of Maduaro and first lady Cilia Flores’ whereabouts, demanding “proof of life.”
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“We demand immediate proof of life from the government of President Donald Trump regarding the lives of President Maduro and the first lady,” Rodríguez said in an audio call to state-run VTV Venezuela
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel denounced the US operation, calling it a “criminal US attack,” and said there needs to be an “URGENT reaction from the international community.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, calling the attack an “aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America.”
“Colombia reaffirms its unrestricted commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations … In this regard, the Colombian Government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk,” Petro wrote on X.
Petro also said that Colombia is deploying forces to the border “in case of a massive influx of refugees.”
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Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the U.S. attack and capture of Maduro crossed an “unacceptable line,” adding that it sets an “extremely dangerous precedent” for the entire international community.
“The international community, through the United Nations, needs to respond vigorously to this episode. Brazil condemns these actions and remains available to promote the path of dialogue and cooperation,” Lula said in a social media post on X.
The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, calling it an “act of armed aggression” and “deeply concerning.”
“The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideological animosity has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build relationships based on trust and predictability,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that it needs to “prevent further escalation” through dialogue.
“Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it declared itself to be in 2014. And Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, interference from outside,” they said.
Russia joined leaders of the Latin American countries calling for an “immediate” meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
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Iran also condemned the attack, calling it a “flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Venezuela, according to the AFP news agency.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said they will “not yield to the enemy.”
“What matters is that when a person realizes the enemy is arrogantly trying to impose something on the country, on the officials, on the government, and on the nation, one must stand firmly against the enemy and bare one’s chest in resistance. We will not yield to the enemy,” he said, according to Reuters.
Kaja Kallas, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the EU is “closely monitoring” the situation.
“The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” she said on X.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom was not involved in “any way” with the US operation, adding that he wants to talk to Trump and their allies.
“The UK was not involved in any way in this operation, and as you would expect we are focusing on British nationals in Venezuela and working very closely with our embassy, and so we want to talk to the president, I will want to talk to allies, but at the moment we need to establish the facts,” Starmer said.
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Spain’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling for de-escalation.
“Spain calls for de-escalation and moderation, and for action to always be taken in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter. In this regard, Spain is willing to offer its good offices to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the current crisis,” the statement said.