NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 3 — The European Union has called for restraint and strict adherence to international law following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by American forces and their removal from the country.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas said the bloc was closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation and had engaged senior US officials as well as EU diplomats on the ground.
“I have spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and our ambassador in Caracas. The EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela,” Kallas said in a statement ON Saturday.
“The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected.”
Kallas added that the safety of EU citizens in Venezuela remained the bloc’s “top priority.”
Her remarks followed a statement by US President Donald Trump on Saturday confirming that American forces had carried out what he described as a large-scale military operation resulting in the capture of Maduro and his wife.
Law enforcement
In a post on social media, Trump said the operation was conducted “in conjunction with US law enforcement,” adding that further details would be provided during a news conference scheduled for 11am at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump said.
The announcement came amid reports of overnight air and missile strikes in Venezuela, after authorities in Caracas declared a nationwide state of emergency.
Night raid
The Venezuelan government said explosions were reported at both civilian and military sites in the capital, Caracas, as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
Videos circulating on social media showed low-flying aircraft and plumes of smoke over Venezuelan airspace, though the footage could not be independently verified.
US officials told CBS News that President Trump had authorised the raids.
Caracas strongly condemned the operation, describing it as a “grave military aggression” and a violation of the United Nations Charter.
The government accused Washington of attempting to undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty and seize its strategic resources, including oil and minerals.
“The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources and to break the nation’s political independence by force,” the government said.
“They will not succeed. After more than 200 years of independence, the people and their legitimate government remain steadfast in defence of sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny.”
Venezuela said it would raise the matter at international forums, including the UN Security Council, the office of the UN Secretary-General, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Non-Aligned Movement, seeking condemnation and accountability.
Regional leaders reacted swiftly.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for urgent international action, saying: “Right now they are bombing Caracas. The OAS and the UN must meet immediately.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel denounced the operation as a “criminal attack,” warning that peace in Latin America and the Caribbean was at risk.
The crisis follows months of sharply deteriorating relations between Washington and Caracas.
US forces have intensified maritime operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, targeting vessels suspected of drug trafficking, with officials reporting more than 30 interdictions in recent months.
President Trump has also escalated pressure on Venezuela by imposing a blockade in December, designating Maduro and senior officials as leaders of a foreign terrorist organisation, and seizing Venezuelan-linked oil tankers in the Caribbean.
