A coordinated US military operation to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has triggered international condemnation and raised serious questions about violations of international law. According to reports, US special forces conducted a raid in Caracas early Saturday, capturing Maduro while American fighter jets targeted key Venezuelan military installations.
US authorities announced that President Maduro would face drug trafficking charges in American courts. President Donald Trump declared the United States would assume control over Venezuela’s governance for the foreseeable future, promising American corporations would gain access to the country’s vast oil reserves. “We’re going to be taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground,” Trump told reporters, echoing previous statements made in 2023 about Venezuela’s oil resources.
The operation has drawn sharp criticism from Venezuela’s allies and beyond. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei condemned the action as “illegal” during a weekly press conference, stating that “claims that another country can run Venezuela are unacceptable to any nation” and represent “a return to colonial-era thinking.” Baghaei further suggested that oil interests rather than democratic principles motivated the intervention.
China, which had just hours before the operation hosted a delegation meeting with Maduro in Caracas, demanded immediate release of the Venezuelan leader and characterized the incursion as a violation of international law. The US assault has received mixed reactions globally, with most South American nations including Brazil, Colombia and Chile condemning the action, while some European countries welcomed Maduro’s removal despite questioning its legality.
Domestically, US Democratic lawmakers joined in criticizing the attack as “illegal.” The situation has additional implications for Iran, where Trump issued simultaneous threats regarding ongoing anti-government demonstrations, warning that Iran would be hit “very hard” if protesters are killed.