Early Saturday morning, the United States launched a “large-scale” military strike on Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. World leaders are weighing in and are divided on the United States’ actions.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the strike, saying, “The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line.” He called for the international community to “respond vigorously to this episode.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez echoed Silva’s call for an international response, saying, “Cuba denounces and urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the U.S. on Venezuela.”
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Russia was “extremely alarmed” by the United States’ strike. “Such actions, if they actually occurred, constitute an unacceptable infringement on the sovereignty of an independent state, respect for which is a key principle of international law.”
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer neither condemned nor supported the strike, saying, “Well, I want to establish the facts first. I want to speak to President Trump. I want to speak to allies.” The prime minister did make clear that “the UK was not involved in any way in this operation.”
Like Starmer, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani weighed in without offering either endorsement or condemnation, stating, “I continue to follow closely and in coordination with the Prime Minister the developments of the situation in Venezuela with particular regard to the safety of the Italian community.”
Argentina’s President Javier Milei said: “Long live freedom, damn it,” “VIVA LA LIBERTAD CARAJO.”
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Milei’s Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno added, “Argentina trusts that these events represent a decisive advance against narcoterrorism that affects the region and, at the same time, open a stage that allows the Venezuelan people to fully recover democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights in accordance with the principles of international law, and put an end to the oppression exercised for years by the authoritarian regime.”
Ecuador’s leader Daniel Noboa Azin has a warning for all “narco criminals,” saying, “To all the narco chavista criminals, your time is coming. Your structure will completely collapse across the entire continent.” He then offered support to Maduro’s opposition, Maria Corina Machado: “To Maria Corina, Edmondo Gonzalez, and the Venezuelan people: it’s time to reclaim your country. You have an ally in Ecuador.”
Ukraine has emphasized the importance of democratic change in Venezuela.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that Mexico “strongly condemns and rejects” the United States’ strike in Venezuela and that the United States must end “all acts of aggression against the Venezuelan government and people.” President Trump said earlier this morning that he has offered Sheinbaum his support to “take out cartels” and then said “something has to be done in Mexico.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei said, “What’s important is one realizes an enemy wants to force something on one’s government or nation with false claims, they must stand firmly against that enemy. We won’t give in to them.” He added “We’ll bring the enemy to its knees.”
Trump ally and leader of Reform U.K. Nigel Farage said, “The American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law, but if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing. I hope the Venezuelan people can now turn a new leaf without Maduro.”
China responded through its Foreign Ministry, condemning the strike as a “hegemonic act.” In a statement, the ministry said it was “deeply shocked” by what it described as the United States’ “blatant use of force against a sovereign state and action against its president.”
This is a developing story, check back for updates.