Rabat – The US decision to strike Venezuela and capture President Nicolas Maduro has sparked a wide range of reactions from world leaders and governments.
Many countries voiced concerns about the US operation, while others emphasized they would shed no tears over Maduro’s arrest.
Several lawmakers in the UK called on the government to condemn Trump’s decision, though Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that his government would not mourn the end of Maduro’s “regime.”
Meanwhile, China and Russia condemned both the arrest and the US strikes. China said it was “deeply shocked” and strongly condemned the attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the US action an “unacceptable line,” adding that “attacking countries” is a blatant violation of international law.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also described the strikes as an “assault” on Latin America’s sovereignty. Chilean President Gabriel Boric expressed concern, condemning the US decisions and calling for a peaceful resolution. For Cuba, the US operation is considered a criminal attack.
French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated Maduro’s arrest on X, writing that “the Venezuelan people” are now “rid of Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorship and can only rejoice.”
He added, “By seizing power and trampling fundamental freedoms, Nicolas Maduro gravely undermined the dignity of his people,” and emphasized that the “upcoming transition” must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the Venezuelan people’s will.
US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the United States will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper, and judicious transition” is secured.
He also suggested that US oil companies would help rebuild the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure and “start making money for the country.”
Venezuela, estimated to hold 303 billion barrels of proven oil reserves as of 2023, remains the world’s most oil-rich nation, according to Al Jazeera.
Several reports suggest that the country’s vast energy wealth played a central role in the recent US decision to capture Maduro.
A video from 2009 has resurfaced showing then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez rejecting claims that he was “paranoid” about the US.
Chavez attributed Washington’s hostility toward Venezuela to its oil reserves. In the interview, he argued that Venezuela’s century-long oil wealth contrasted sharply with the US’ resources and suggested that successive US administrations had repeatedly tried to install subordinate governments in Caracas to secure control.
