From strong condemnation to veiled sarcasm and calls for dialogue, the international community has reacted with a mix of emotions following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The United States military operation, which led to their apprehension and transport to the US, has sparked a range of responses worldwide.
Russia, a long-time ally of Venezuela, swiftly condemned the American operation in the strongest terms. Moscow demanded the immediate release of the “legally elected President of Venezuela and his wife.” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly held a phone call with Maduro’s deputy, expressing solidarity with the Venezuelan people in the face of what he termed “armed aggression.” The Russian news agency TASS reported that the Foreign Ministry denied reports that Maduro’s deputy was in Russia. The Ministry has also demanded an immediate explanation from Washington regarding the fate of President Maduro and his wife.
The Russian condemnation also carried a hint of irony. Moscow alluded to President Trump’s past aspirations for the Nobel Peace Prize, questioning how such an award could be reconciled with a military operation against a sovereign nation and the arrest of its leader. The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council commented that “the kidnapping of Maduro is an example of American peacekeeping operations and another step towards the Nobel Prize.”
France, while not a staunch ally of Venezuela, has also weighed in on the situation. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the American military operation resulting in the arrest of President Maduro contradicts the principles of international law. Rather than issuing direct condemnations, French diplomacy described the operation as a violation of the principle of non-use of force, which forms the basis of international law. France reiterated that a lasting political solution cannot be imposed from the outside, and that only sovereign peoples can determine their own future.
