US military action against Venezuela draws widespread condemnation

The U.S. military strikes on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro have drawn sharp rebuke from experts, officials and concerned people around the world.

On Jan 3, the U.S. launched military operations in Venezuela, resulting in the capture of Maduro and his wife. The Venezuelan government reported that the strikes targeted civilian and military sites in at least four states, including Caracas, Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. According to Venezuela's interior ministry on Jan 7, the attacks left at least 100 dead.

Tendai Mbanje, a regional governance expert at the African Center for Governance in Johannesburg, South Africa, warned that these brazen actions create a heightened sense of insecurity globally.

"It is a message that the U.S. has sent to the world that the U.S may decide to invade weaker nations if they do so with impunity, and this makes the world that we live in an unsafe world," he said.

Jaime Quito, a congressman from Peru, denounced the U.S. invasion of Venezuela and the kidnapping of its president, emphasizing that no country should act as the world's police or judge.

"Peru firmly and strongly condemns the U.S. invasion of Venezuela. We condemn the U.S. for kidnapping the President of Venezuela and attempting to carry out a trial against him. The immediate priority should be to respect sovereignty and international law. No country can act as the world's police or judge. On the contrary, the right of self-determination of all peoples must be respected. We reject and condemn such actions, which are almost terrorism in nature, as well as the illegal conduct of the U.S. in this sovereign nation of Venezuela," he said.

In Spain, thousands gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Madrid on January 4 to express their outrage over the U.S. military action in Venezuela and the capture of Maduro.

"I think that the USA and Trump think that any government, any country that is not on his side, they can bomb them or invade them or threaten them. They have also threatened right now Mexico, Colombia, of course, Cuba. So it's a threat to all Latin America and of course a threat to all the countries in the world," said Elena Martinez, one of the protesters.

US military action against Venezuela draws widespread condemnation

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that there are no winners in the prolonged wars, and a ceasefire and an end to the hostilities are the will of the people.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The two sides mainly exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.

Cooper expounded on Britain's view on the current situation in the Middle East, stating that in the face of an increasingly turbulent world, the British side hopes to maintain close communication with China, push for an early end to the war, resume diplomatic negotiations, and seek long-term solutions.

Wang elaborated on China's position, saying that the current conflict in the Middle East is escalating, and the war is expanding, which not only impacts regional peace and stability, but also directly affects international energy, finance, trade and shipping, undermining the common interests of all countries.

China urges all parties to immediately cease military operations, resolve differences through equal dialogue, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, Wang said.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Britain shoulder the responsibility of upholding international peace and security, he noted.

Both sides should enhance communication, remain committed to actions conducive to peace, and jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations, so as to prevent the international order from being further undermined and the foundations of world peace from being eroded, said the foreign minister.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-Britain relations and agreed that they should actively implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, enhance exchanges, and continuously promote the long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Britain, thereby providing stability and certainty for a world fraught with changes and turmoil.

Chinese FM says prolonged wars have no winners