Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay have jointly rejected the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela, warning that it violates international law and sets a dangerous precedent for regional stability, according to a joint communiqué released on Sunday pasted.
The statement, signed by leaders including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, condemns what it describes as “unilateral military operations” carried out by the United States to remove Nicolás Maduro from power.
The signatories stressed that the operation breached fundamental principles of international law, particularly the prohibition of the use of force and respect for territorial sovereignty enshrined in the UN Charter pasted.
“These actions constitute a dangerous precedent for peace and regional security and pose a risk to the civilian population,” the joint statement said, adding that Venezuela’s crisis must be resolved “exclusively through dialogue and in accordance with the will of the Venezuelan people.” pasted
The communiqué also raised serious concerns about the potential appropriation of Venezuela’s natural and strategic resources, warning that any external control over such assets would be incompatible with international law and could threaten the economic, political, and social stability of the region pasted.
The reaction follows the U.S. Delta Force operation that captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas, after which Maduro was transferred to a New York prison to face charges including drug trafficking, narcoterrorism, and weapons offenses pasted.
President Donald Trump described the operation as “brilliant” and stated that the United States would “run Venezuela” temporarily until a transition is achieved, comments that have drawn criticism from international leaders and legal experts pasted.
While the European Union has called for restraint and respect for the UN Charter, it has stopped short of openly condemning the U.S. action, reflecting divisions within Europe over how to respond to the unfolding situation in Venezuela pasted.
