New York – Demonstrations both supporting and condemning the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have erupted worldwide following his detention by U.S. forces on Saturday. The European Union has issued a statement calling for calm and restraint from all parties involved.
A joint statement released by EU member states on Sunday urged all sides to exercise “calm and restraint” following the military operation that led to the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The EU emphasized that respecting the will of the Venezuelan people is crucial for restoring democracy and resolving the ongoing crisis. The statement also called for the unconditional release of all political prisoners held within Venezuela. The EU further stated that it is in close contact with the United States regarding the situation.
Several Latin American nations, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay, along with Spain, have also voiced concerns. These nations rejected “any attempt to control” Venezuela following Maduro’s arrest. In a statement issued by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the six countries expressed their concern regarding any attempt at governmental control, administration, or external seizure of Venezuelan natural or strategic resources.
Simultaneous with these diplomatic developments, protests have taken place in several major cities. In Madrid, approximately one thousand protestors gathered in front of the U.S. embassy to condemn what they called “imperial aggression” following the arrest of the Venezuelan President. Demonstrators carried signs depicting U.S. President Donald Trump consuming a container of oil colored with the Venezuelan flag and other signs bearing slogans such as “Trump Aggressor” and “No to Imperialist Aggression in Venezuela.” Many protestors waved flags of the far-left Podemos party and the Spanish Communist Party, as well as the Venezuelan flag.
In Amsterdam, hundreds of people protested in front of the U.S. consulate, holding signs with slogans such as “Yankee Go Home,” “Stop Killing for Oil,” and “Stop Trump’s Fossil Army.” Similar demonstrations, though smaller in scale, occurred in Mexico City and Buenos Aires, with protestors gathering at the U.S. embassies to voice their opposition to the military operation. In the Argentine capital, protestors chanted, “Yankees Out!”
