The United States' latest military operation in Venezuela, which culminated in its claimed capture of President Nicolas Maduro early on Saturday, has triggered a wave of international condemnation, with governments and leaders across the globe denouncing it as a grave violation of international law.
In a drastic escalation of tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country following a U.S. military strike.
Earlier that day, the Venezuelan government issued a statement decrying the "grave military aggression" by the U.S. and declaring a state of national emergency, after large explosions were heard and aircraft were seen over the capital Caracas.
The Venezuelan government said that the strike targeted civilian and military sites in at least four states of the country, adding that the U.S. action blatantly violated the UN Charter.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated on social media that at least 10 targets in Venezuela, including the parliamentary building, had been bombed, and southern areas of Caracas suffered power outages.
"Alert the world: Venezuela has been attacked! They [the United States] are bombing with missiles," Petro said on X, urging the United Nations and the Organization of American States to convene emergency meetings in response.
Petro expressed deep concern over the explosions and "unusual aerial activity" in Venezuela, as well as the resulting escalation of regional tensions. He reiterated Colombia's opposition to any unilateral military action that could worsen the situation or endanger civilians.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel denounced the U.S. operation as a "criminal attack," calling for urgent international action. "Our 'zone of peace' is being brutally assaulted," he said, describing the attack as "an act of state terrorism" against the courageous people of Venezuela and all of the Americas.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also issued a strong condemnation, calling the U.S. assault "a cowardly act against a nation that has not attacked the U.S. or any other country."
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the same day condemning the U.S. for what it termed an "armed aggression" against Venezuela.
"The pretexts cited to justify such actions are untenable," the statement said, calling for efforts to prevent further escalation and to focus on finding a solution through dialog.
Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia's Federation Council, said the U.S. military operation against Venezuela has no legitimate basis as the South American country has posed no threat. The attack has clearly violated international law and would be condemned by the global majority, he said on telegram.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the U.S. attack as a blatant violation of Venezuela's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and called for immediate action by the UN Security Council to halt the "unlawful aggression."
International outcry erupts over US strike against Venezuela
